Alone in the Quiet
by Lastsyns
Summary: Jack is left deaf after being found shackled alone in a cabin. Can the Doctor figure out what has caused Jack to lose his hearing and help his friend?
1. Chapter 1

Pain. That was what his world had been reduced to. Nothing but the blinding pain that seared through his body. When he could think, he wished for the pain to end, but not even the relief of death kept the pain away for long. No, it just made the pain worse as he died, reviving with nervous newly healed and the pain worse than ever. It never took long for him to start screaming again, even if he swore to himself that he would never give them the satisfaction of hearing him scream or beg them to stop. Now he was sure that his screaming never stopped, even though he could no longer hear himself. He couldn't see, couldn't breathe, couldn't hear, he could do nothing but feel pain and scream.

Then just as suddenly as the pain began it stopped. He barely dared to believe that after so many days, weeks or even months of screaming it was over. For all he knew it could have even been only hours that he was trapped, but he doubted it. He tensed, panting as he tried to prepare for the pain to start again. This had to be a trick of theirs. There was no other explanation for it. He opened his eyes, trying to see out into the dark room. He didn't see anything so when a gentle hand stroked the side of his face, he jumped. He stopped himself from leaning into the hand, still telling himself it was a trick. Even as the shackles that were holding him in place were released, he didn't dare to believe it was over.

-DW-

The Doctor looked confused at the monitor as the TARDIS landed. He had been aiming for a planet in the Sundorsa system, just trying to cheer himself up. It had been a month since he had removed Donna's memories and returned Rose to the other universe. His thoughts since then had become dark and he found himself feeling as if the laws of time were his to control. He ran his hands over his face as he sighed. How could he consider himself a winner when all that had happened is that he ended up alone, again? He had allowed himself hope that he didn't have to be. When he had been aboard the TARDIS, surrounded by his friends, he had imagined for one moment that they weren't going to leave him. That he could travel on in their company. It was a fool's hope, though, and because of it, he had ended up feeling more alone than ever.

He considered changing the destination on the TARDIS, pulling the handbrake and leaving. There was one thing he had learned, though, in his years of traveling. That was the TARDIS always took him where he needed to go. If she brought him here, there had to be a reason for it. Whether or not he wanted to deal with the reason was another matter. Sighing, he headed slowly for the door, grabbing his coat as he stepped out onto the dark planet. The TARDIS had landed in the middle of a dirt path. To either side of the path, it was lined with trees, making it impossible to see what was waiting for him in the distance.

There was little to see under the starlit night in the forest. Around him, crickets chirped and occasionally an owl-like creature called out. Using his sonic as a torch, he walked along the dark path. Trees rustled around him and made him uneasy. He had never liked the dark nights, not even as a child. He wasn't going to let the darkness stop him, though. He was curious of what was at the end of the path. As he walked he saw the outline of a small building finally. He picked up the pace a little, happy to finally have a destination. Getting closer to the building, he saw that it was surrounded with caution signs, warning whoever was approaching to turn around. The Doctor smiled. He loved ignoring a good keep out sign.

Reaching the small building, he realized that it was a cabin. He knocked on the door of it, his pyschic paper already in hand with his prepared story that he was a Forest ranger. When no one came to the door after a minute, he tried the door handle, finding it locked. His sonic made quick work of the lock letting him in. He poked his head into the unfurnished room.

"Hello?" He called out. He received no answer, not that he expected one. The room was obviously unused. He was about to turn around and leave when he heard a noise. He stopped, listening for it. He heard it again, almost like a squeak. Furrowing his brow, he walked further into the room. As he approached the empty kitchen, he heard it louder. Scanning with his sonic revealed that there was someone alive in the basement. Going to the closed door, he opened it. He stepped back as he was greeted by a stench that made him gag. He put his shirt sleeve over his mouth and nose continuing forward.

"Oh Jack," he whispered as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Standing in the middle of the room, shackled to the floor and ceiling was the immortal. He had been stripped naked and was standing in a pile of his own filth. A power cord was attached to the floor and Jack writhed, trying to scream as electricity coursed through his body. The Doctor used the sonic to quickly disable the mechanism. He walked forward, looking into Jack's unseeing bloodshot eyes. It would be kinder to let him die again. The Doctor wasn't going to let that happen, though. He stroked the side of Jack's face and Jack flinched away from him.

"You're alright. I'm not going to hurt you," The Doctor reassured him. Using the sonic, he released Jack from his bonds. Jack crumpled to the floor, unable to cry out due to screaming. He lay there shivering, even as the Doctor took off his coat, trying to lay it over him. Jack didn't move as he lay there shivering. The Doctor leaned down, tenderly picking Jack up in his arms. Jack weakly tried to fight the Doctor. He didn't have the strength to do anything but make carrying him difficult. The Doctor held him tightly as he started on his way. It would have been easier to go get the TARDIS, but the Doctor wasn't about to leave Jack alone even for a moment. Jack needed him and the Doctor wasn't about to let him down again.


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor struggled to keep walking down the path as he carried Jack. Jack's fighting him didn't help anything, nor did it help that he couldn't hold Jack and use the Sonic to light his way. Several times he almost tripped over unseen obstacles in his way. Only once did he actually come close to dropping Jack as he hit a rock with his foot. He managed to stay upright, somehow, clutching Jack as tightly as he could to his body. In gratitude, Jack's teeth sunk deeply into his arm. The Doctor resisted the urge to push Jack away, but knowing Jack was just defending himself did nothing to relieve the pain.

"Jack, I'm trying to help you," the Doctor scolded him. He received no answer except for the teeth to dig in deeper. His arm felt wet where Jack's mouth was and he hoped it was just saliva from Jack's mouth though he had a feeling that once aboard the TARDIS he would find that he was bleeding. The Doctor reached out his mind to the TARDIS, thankful when she hummed back at him. She was near and he just had to make it a little further before he would be safe inside. He walked as quickly as he dared until his beloved blue box appeared along the path. Adjusting his grip, he snapped his fingers. The door opened inward for him, lighting the rest of his way out of the forest. He took a deep breath of relief, regretting it immediately as the stench of Jack filled his nostrils.

"You are getting a bath as soon as I get you inside," The Doctor informed him. The rest of the walk took less than a minute, and he gratefully closed the doors behind him. With the doors shut, they were safely sealed away from the rest of the world outside. He had once told Rose that not even the assembled hordes of Gangas Kahn could get through those doors and he meant it. If there was anywhere in the universe that he felt completely safe it was in his TARDIS. He just hoped that being in the familiar place would help calm Jack down as well. Looking at the man in his arms, he could see that it was a false hope that Jack hadn't broken his skin as blood dripped down his arm, wetting his sleeve. Jack's mouth was still firmly attached to his arm and the Doctor resisted the urge to flick him in the nose to get him to let go.

As he exited the console room, he found that a bathroom had been placed immediately in front of him and the door to the medi-bay next to it. He silently thanked the TARDIS as he carried Jack into the bathroom. The tub had already been filled and the steam from the water fogged the mirror. The Doctor sat Jack down on the floor first, untangling him from his coat. He made a face as he placed the coat aside to be washed. With Jack on the floor, he was also finally able to free his arm from Jack's mouth. Blood poured down his shirt and the Doctor swore colorfully in Gallifreyan. Moving his sleeve, he could clearly see that he was going to need stitches. He used his teeth to rip his sleeve further, then used the bottom half of his sleeve to wrap around his arm as a makeshift bandage. That accomplished, he lifted the squirming immortal up off the floor, depositing him into the bath. Almost immediately Jack began to scream again. His vocal cords were ruined from screaming previously so it sounded rough and squeaky.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor apologized as he cleaned Jack up as quickly as he could. Jack's skin should have been raw from the filth, but thanks to his immortality his skin was just a little red. Still the bath had to hurt the tender flesh and as soon as he could, he lifted Jack from the bath, carrying him naked once more to the medi-bay. Upon setting him down on the bed, Jack went ballistic. He kicked, punched, screamed and tried to bite the Doctor using all the strength he had to try to fight him off.

"You're fine Jack. I'm not going to hurt you, but you need to calm down before you hurt yourself," The Doctor chastised Jack as Jack fought. He put up the bars to the bed, hoping to keep him on it. The last thing he wanted to do was restrain his friend. He needed Jack to calm down and trust him, not panic because he was in shackles again. The drawer next to Jack opened, glancing in it the Doctor scowled.

"I'm not sedating him. He is afraid," The Doctor informed the TARDIS. She hummed at him. "Yes, I know he bit my arm, but I don't think he realizes it is me. I don't know how much he is able to see or hear at the moment." The Doctor smiled as the drawer closed, then opened again. Rather then still having a syringe inside there was a pair of pajama trousers with an elastic waist. The Doctor pulled them out of the drawer, then grabbed one of Jack's legs, slipping them on. Jack fought harder as he took his other leg and forced it inside the trousers as well. As he started to pull them up Jack's waist, Jack's forehead furrowed in confusion. He got them all the way up, then reached out stroking Jack's head softly.

"There that's better isn't it," He told him softly. Jack didn't respond as his eyes darted unseeing around the medi-bay. "You're safe with me Jack. I'm going to take care of you, I promise. Let's just have a look and see what we are dealing with shall we?" The Doctor pulled out his sonic. Running it slowly over Jack's body, he flicked it to the monitors. The TARDIS analyzed the information displaying it for him to read. Jack had major damage due to the electricity that raced through his body. At the moment, he was both blind and deaf due popped blood vessels in his eyes and damage to his eardrums. Reading that the Doctor glanced at Jack. It was no wonder he had fought so hard as he couldn't recognize it was a friend helping him and no longer his tormenters. He caressed Jack's head softly again as he looked once more at the screen. Jack's vocal cords were raw from screaming and he was dehydrated as well as on the verge of starvation. The drawer opened with the sedative again and this time the Doctor took it out. He picked up the syringe and filled it with the amount the TARDIS suggested.

"You need to rest," The Doctor informed Jack. Even though Jack couldn't hear him, the Doctor felt the need to try to talk to him. "I am going to give you a sedative to allow you to sleep. Once you are asleep, I will set an IV up for you to get you hydrated again. I will also use a high nutrient drip so that you don't starve to death before you heal." He cleaned a place on Jack's arm then pierced his skin with the needle. Jack cried out, starting to fight him again. The Doctor made gentle shushing sounds as he finished giving Jack the injection, then removed the needle. It didn't take long for Jack's movements to grow sluggish. The Doctor covered him with a blanket, tucking him in as he drifted off to sleep. As soon as he was out, the Doctor set up and IV, attaching the drip to it.

With Jack receiving the care he needed, the Doctor finally turned his attention to his own arm. Blood was still flowing down his arm and had turned his sleeved dark brown. Sending a silent request to the TARDIS to wake him as soon as Jack was awake, the Doctor headed back to the controls. He made a notation of he destination and time before changing them to Earth. He would pop in quickly to see Martha and have her suture his arm, then leave before Jack woke up. Until Jack calmed down, he was a danger to not only himself, but everyone around him and the Doctor wasn't about to put Martha into harms way intentionally. He also decided not to take Jack back to Torchwood until he was healed. He could and would care for his friend. He owed him that much.


	3. Chapter 3

-Jack's Perspective-

Jack fought as the person who released him from his bonds, covered him with a blanket. At least he assumed it was the same person as he was still unable to see them, despite them being in front of him. Almost tenderly they picked him up in their arms. He didn't buy it, though. There was nothing tender about the people who had locked him in this room and sent electricity coursing through his body. As much as he didn't want to remain shackled in the room, he also didn't know if where the man was taking him was worse. The man carried him for awhile before he almost tripped. Seeing an opportunity, Jack latched onto the man's arm, biting down.

He was slightly amazed that the man didn't drop him. He bit down harder, the taste of blood filled his mouth, but still he didn't let go. The man kept moving only adjusting his grip once. Jack was finally set down on a hard floor. The blanket was removed and the man forced him to remove his teeth from his arm. Once again naked, he was picked up and placed in a burning hot liquid. Jack screamed as the boiling water scalded his skin. He kept screaming as the man rubbed it on his legs. Jack was thankful that he couldn't see what the man was doing to his legs as he was sure that it would be horrific to witness. He imagined that blood was seeping from his legs into the water as the man tore at them. He was actually thankful when he was lifted out of the liquid.

Only to have his relief vanished the moment his body touched a soft surface. Jack fought with all his strength, soft surfaces were never a good thing when captured. Soft surfaces meant beds and beds meant rape. While he was from the fifty-first century and enjoyed sex, he enjoyed it when it was on his terms. He was going to continue to fight the man as hard as he could and make the man regret the decision to take advantage of his body. The man grabbed his leg forcing rope around it, then grabbed the other and forced the rope around it as well. Jack hesitated in his struggling as he realized that the rope wasn't rope at all but a pair of trousers. The man gently caressed his head.

He was confused about what was happening. His head hurt from trying to figure it out as well. Since becoming immortal, he could not remember a time when he felt so close to death, even as death claimed his body. He wasn't about to trust the man and he was right not to as a sharp pain started in his arm. He felt the effects of the drugs the man injected into his system almost immediately. He tried not to give into the blackness that was clouding his mind. He couldn't stop it though and soon sunk into the nothingness that he hoped would be a permanent death.

-DW-

The Doctor landed the TARDIS in Martha's office at UNIT. He bounded towards the door, reaching for his coat as he did. As he passed by the coral it normally sat on he remembered that it wasn't there. He sighed, he was going to have to get his coat cleaned soon before the filth Jack was covered in ruined it. He didn't want to have to find a new coat, he loved that coat. Janis Joplin gave him that coat. Well, he said gave. In reality, she had let him try on the coat and he had taken it with him. He was sure that she would have been alright with him having it if he only had asked. Maybe he should go back and ask her. Later, he decided. He pulled the door open bounding off the TARDIS with a grin. Martha was sitting behind. Her eyes narrowed as they focused on his bloody arm.

"Doctor what happened to your arm?" Martha asked as she stood up, going around her desk. The Doctor looked at.

"I got bit," The Doctor explained vaguely. Martha shook her head.

"Sit down and let me see." She instructed motion towards the chair. The Doctor sat down in it, holding his arm out for her to look at. Martha pulled on a pair of gloves before carefully peeling the makeshift bandage. Blood began to flow freely again. She pushed the bandage back against it, making him hiss in pain. "Sorry, but I have to stop the bleeding. Can you hold it the cloth to your arm, while I go get my suture kit and more bandages?"

"Yes," The Doctor agreed. He gently placed his arm on the bandage to hold it in place. Martha tutted, moving his hand to tighten his grip. He glared at her. She didn't apologize, as she pulled off her gloves and left her office. She returned fairly quickly with a suture kit, fresh bandages and a longer bandage to wrap around his arm. Pulling on a new pair of gloves, she picked up one of the bandages and pressed it to his arm. She had to change the bandage several times before the bleeding slowed enough she could look at his arm.

"This is a human bite," Martha informed the Doctor as she examined it. It was obvious from the shape of the teeth as well as being oval.

"Is it?" The Doctor asked in fascination as he looked at his arm. Martha slapped him in his good arm making him pout.

"How did you get bit?" She wondered. She pulled out a Time Lord friendly local anesthesia and filled a syringe with it.

"He didn't mean to bite me. He is just afraid," The Doctor immediately defended Jack's actions. "It is my fault for getting my arm too close to his mouth. When he calms down and realizes I am only trying to help him, he will feel bad about it."

"He is still aboard the TARDIS?" Martha asked. The Doctor nodded. "Are you sure you should be trying to help this man on your own?"

"I can handle Jack," The Doctor told her. Martha processed the information. The Jack she knew was never afraid enough to bite someone to defend himself.

"Captain Jack," Martha questioned confused.

"Is there another?" The Doctor wondered. Martha shook her head.

"No. What happened to him?" She asked as she cleaned around the wound on the Doctor's arm.

"He was, ow," The Doctor yelped. Martha injected a small amount of the anesthesia, then removed the needle. He didn't try to talk again as she pierced his skin a total of seven times trying to numb the area around the bite mark. The worst was the seventh one, when she pushed the needle right into the middle of the bite. The Doctor gritted his teeth, holding the chair tightly. After she removed the needle, he took a deep breath, followed by another. The pain slowly began to fade, leaving a strange numbness behind. "He was tortured," The Doctor tried again. He looked away from Martha as she picked up her suture kit. "They left him blind and death temporarily while his body heals."

"Jack heals quickly. From what I have observed, he heals faster than you do. He should be up on his feet in just a few hours. Right?" Martha questioned.

"No, they used electricity to torture him. The electricity over a long period of time would interrupt the autron energy in his body making it harder for him to heal. While it would never keep him dead, it would make it hard for him to revive. The skin on his legs is irritated. In normal circumstances, he would be healed in a matter of minutes. Now the rash is staying until his body can heal," The Doctor explained.

"After I am done tending to your arm, do you want me to go check on him?" Martha wondered. The Doctor shook his head no.

"He is sleeping at the moment and when he wakes, I don't want him to accidentally hurt you," The Doctor replied.

"You have told me before, though, that you are not a doctor even if you go by that name. I can go in and make sure that he is comfortable," Martha offered. The Doctor thought about it a moment. She was right he wasn't a Doctor. Even if he did have medical training, he never had a formal degree. Most of what he knew, he had picked up in his travels. He had to learn more about humans than other species as he always had a human companion.

"If I tell you to get back, then I will expect you to get back without arguing me," the Doctor informed her. Martha agreed. She finished stitching his arm closed, hoping silently that it didn't get infected. If he was human then she knew that it was almost a given that the bite would become infected. Since he was a Time Lord, his immunity worked differently. Still she pulled out another syringe, giving him an antibiotic injection to be safe. When she pulled out the sling, he stood up refusing to put it on. Instead, he bounded into the TARDIS. Martha sighed, bringing the sling with her as she took off after him.

She found him in the medi-bay by Jack's bed. Jack was snoring softly as he slept sprawled out on his back. His brown hair needed to be washed and he needed a shave. Martha didn't focus on those details as she began to examine Jack trying not to wake him. She remembered the Doctor saying the skin on his legs was red. Pulling the blankets up, she rolled up one of his trouser legs to look at it. The skin was warm to the touch and had to be painful.

"Did you put an ointment on his legs?" Martha questioned the Doctor. She glanced up at him and he shook his head. "I thought not. I know he heals quickly, but a soothing ointment will make him more comfortable until he can heal the skin." Martha went over to the medical cabinet. Within moments, she found the cream she was looking for and returned to Jack. Pulling on yet another clean pair of gloves, she softly began to apply the ointment to his skin. "There now, that's better. Doesn't that feel better?" Martha question Jack fixing the blankets. She ran a check of his vitals, then had the TARDIS pull up the medication Jack had received. She tutted, seeing that the Doctor had only given him a sedative before the high nutrient drip. She went back to the cupboard, returning quickly with several vials and syringes. She measured and injected everyone into this cannula. Finally satisfied she stepped back.

"There now he is medicated properly and his legs have been tended to. He should feel a lot better once he is away," Martha informed the Doctor.

"Thank you for looking after him," The Doctor told her.

"You're welcome and I agree with what you are doing in order to heal him. Just because he can die and come back, doesn't mean that he should. Even if it is the easiest way to heal," Martha explained. "I know you are worried about me getting hurt, but I would like to stick around until he is awake so I can analyze him."

"If I tell you to get back, I expect you to listen," the Doctor agreed. He had sat down on the bed next to Jack's watching Martha work. She had gone beyond what he expected in order to make Jack comfortable. While he could take care of Jack on his own, it was nice to have another set of hands, especially while his arm ached. Martha agreed. She left the medi-bay to tend to her other patients while the Doctor watched over Jack. She just hoped that he didn't leave before she returned.


	4. Chapter 4

Martha was still out checking on the others when Jack started to show signs that he was waking up. He groaned, scratching at the beard that covered his face. In all the years that the Doctor had known Jack, he couldn't remember once seeing Jack with a beard. As soon as Jack was calm, he would help him shave it off. Until then Jack would have to deal with it, as the Doctor didn't want to set him off into a panic because of a blade on his face. The next sign that he was waking was that he ran his hand across the bandage on his arm, giving a soft tug on the IV line. The Doctor sympathized with Jack completely as he also hated IVs. Jack needed it though.

"Leave that alone," The Doctor chastised him. Jack didn't respond nor did he look at the Doctor as he tugged the line a little harder. "Jack, the IV is providing you nutrients as well as medicine. You need to leave it alone," The Doctor tried again. Jack still didn't respond, so the Doctor gently moved his hand away from the line. That sent him into a panic, he kicked at the blankets trying to get them off of him and out of the bed. The Doctor sighed. He pulled out his sonic, scanning Jack's head again. The TARDIS immediately revealed there had been no change in Jack's sight or hearing. Taking Jack's hand in his, he gently ran his thumb back and forth across Jack's knuckles. Jack paused in his fighting as he seemed to be considering what the Doctor was doing. Lifting Jack's hand up further, he bent down. Hoping he didn't end up regretting his decision, he carefully placed Jack's hand on his face. Jack's eyes narrowed and his fingers twitched the Doctor pulled his head back quickly before Jack could claw him.

"Let's try this again and please try not to scratch my face. I like this face," The Doctor told him. He turned his head sideways so that Jack could feel his sideburns first. Jack's eyes widened a little. With the Doctor holding his hand, he ran it down the sideburn, then back upwards. The Doctor chuckled as Jack patted his head. His hand immediately moved downward. The Doctor guided it as Jack felt the tie around his neck, followed by the buttons of his suit jacket.

"Doctor?" Jack asked. His voice was hoarse making the word hard to understand. There was hope in his eyes that hadn't been there before as he said it. The Doctor lifted Jack's hand up to his head. He laid his cheek against Jack's palm then nodded. A small smile formed on Jack's face. The smile faded quickly as doubt replaced the hope.

"I know you think that I am lying. I promise you, Jack, I am here and I am going to take care of you. You just need to rest again," the Doctor informed him. Jack, of course, didn't understand him. He tried to sit up further. The Doctor let him.

"How long has he been awake?" Martha wondered as she came into the medi-bay. The Doctor looked at her. She had two cups with her. She handed one to him. He took it with his free hand as his other hand was still in Jack's.

"Is that coffee?" He asked, nodding towards Martha's cup.

"It is," Martha replied.

"Can he have a drink?" The Doctor nodded his head towards Jack. Martha stepped closer to Jack with her cup. The Doctor put his hand up to stop her. "Let me," He advised her, worried he would lose whatever trust he had started to gain if there was another person in the room. He set his tea down then took the cup of coffee from her. Moving the hand that was in his, he let Jack feel the hot cup, bringing it around to the handle. Jack grabbed the handle and the Doctor helped him guide it to his mouth. Jack took a cautious sip. His face lit up upon tasting the bitter liquid and he took a larger gulp. The Doctor let him drink a little more, before guiding the cup away. He set it down next to his bed.

"He seems to be aware at least," Martha commented as she observed. The Doctor nodded.

"The TARDIS has confirmed there has been no change to his senses. He still seems less confused at the moment. I am trying to figure out how to tell him you are here as well," The Doctor explained.

"You are a telepath aren't you?" Martha wondered. The Doctor looked at her appalled.

"It is extremely rude and considered an act of hostility to enter someone else's mind without being invited to. Jack is a strong enough telepath that I would have to break through the walls he put in place to enter his mind. He would see that as an attack. No, the best way is to try to communicate with him without using words," The Doctor answered her. He took Jack's hand and laid two fingers on his palm. He then pressed just one finger to his palm and moved Jack's hand to his chest. Moving it back away he pressed two fingers again to his palm and then moved his hand to Martha's arm. Jack tensed.

"It's alright. It's just Martha," The Doctor cooed. He lifted Jack's hand up further. "Let him feel your face and hair," The Doctor told her. Martha looked hesitant.

"Are you sure it is alright?" She asked hesitantly.

"I have his hand. He needs to know we are here for him. I have already made him realize I am here, but he still isn't sure and if you try to treat him, it is just going to scare him. We have to let him know we are here and that he is safe now before he is going to trust us," The Doctor explained to her.

"Okay," Martha agreed after a moment. She had waited just long enough that Jack was once again beginning to grow agitated. The Doctor moved Jack's hand to Martha's hair, letting Jack feel that it was up in the familiar ponytail that she normally wore. He guided Jack's hand down to her ear to feel the studs of the tiny earrings she wore. From there Jack's hand moved lower. The Doctor stopped him from brushing the top of her breast. He lifted Jack's hand to his own face again.

"Jack," He drew out the word as he shook his head no.

"Rose?" Jack asked. The Doctor shook his head no again. Jack didn't guess again as he reached in the general direction of her.

"Sorry," The Doctor apologized to her.

"It's alright. The last time we saw you, you took off with Rose and Donna. We know that Donna is back in Chiswick, but I assumed Rose was still with you," Martha told him. The Doctor looked away from her.

"I left Rose in the other universe with the meta crisis," The Doctor whispered.

"Why?" Martha knew how much the Doctor had missed her and had hoped that he was finally able to be happy.

"It doesn't matter," He replied, his voice sounding stronger. "I have his hand, run through his vitals and maybe that will help him realize it is you." Martha listened to the Doctor's advice as she examined Jack. It was as she was listening to Jack's heart that a sense of realization crossed his face.

"Martha?" He asked happily. The Doctor nodded against his hand. As Martha was examining him, Jack began to yawn. He relaxed once more against the pillows, his eyes closing on their own. The Doctor adjusted his blanket for him before laying Jack's hand down on top. Jack smacked his lips, turning slightly.

"Sleep well." Martha gently caressed the side of his cheek as Jack's breathing evened out. They had made a huge step forward in Jack's trust, now they just needed to heal his body.


	5. Chapter 5

-Jack's perspective-

Jack was having a nice dream. He was out of that horrible cabin that the people had chained him up in. Ianto was tending to his wounds as he lay on his bed in Ianto's flat. The blankets were soft on his body and a gentle hand was caressing his head. Ianto dropped a hand to his chest, running it towards his groin. Just as the hand was about to settle on his member, the dream started to fade. He moaned, as he felt himself waking up. He didn't want to wake up, he wanted to be with Ianto. Lifting his hand, he scratched the beard on his face. He made a face as he did, feeling the scratchiness of the beard. He really needed to shave as he didn't like the way he looked with a beard.

It was upon lifting his arm, though, that he felt the slight tug. He ran his other hand down to investigate it and found that he had an IV. Worried about what drugs were being pumped into his system, he gave a gentle tug on it. When no one tried to stop him, he tugged harder. The man made his presence know again by moving his hand away from the IV. That just made Jack. He kicked at the blankets on the bed, squirming and fighting to get up out of the bed and the man who was holding him captive. He was no longer shackled and he planned on making them pay for capturing him in the first place. The man took his hand in his, running his thumb back and forth across his fingers. Once again the tender act made Jack stop his fighting as he considered what the man was doing.

Maybe it would be better to play along with the man. Act as if he were being compliant and then once the man let his guard down, he could run. It would give him a few days to heal. The act would only work, though, as long as the man didn't try to take advantage of his body. If that happened, he was going to kill the man to get away if he had to. The man lifted his hand up further, and he felt the man's cheek against his fingers. His hand twitched as he considered digging his fingernails into the man's flesh. The man seemed to realize that as he pulled his hand quickly away. A moment later his fingers were returned to the man's face and he felt the man had sideburns. His curiosity peaked as he ran his hand upwards. He could feel the man had hair that was slightly long and spiky on top. Barely daring to let himself hope, he moved his hand downward. The man had a tie around his neck and was wearing a suit that was buttoned up. Jack swallowed several times before opening his mouth.

"Doctor," He tried to ask. He couldn't hear himself, but still he must have vocalized the word as the man placed his hand on his cheek and nodded. Jack couldn't help the relieved smile that crossed his face, knowing that he was safe in the Doctor's care. The smile quickly faded as he wondered if it was really the Doctor or just a doctor who was tending to him. He pushed himself to sit up and the Doctor let him. He was still sitting up as a cup was pushed against his hand and he brought it to his mouth. He could smell the coffee before he took a drink of it. He stopped himself from moaning in pleasure as he swallowed the hot liquid. After a few mouth fulls the cup was moved away.

The Doctor held his hand for a little while before Jack felt him push two fingers against his palm. He was confused as he changed it to one finger and put it against his chest. It was when he placed two fingers then stretched his arm out to meet someone's arm with warmer skin, that Jack got the message. They weren't alone in the room. There was someone else there. If he was in a hospital, it would make sense. The Doctor would have a nurse or someone else to help care for him. He started to squirm again as the hope that it was the Doctor started to fade. Eventually, his hand was lifted. He felt that the person was wearing their hair up in a ponytail with studs for earrings. He ran his hand down lower, but his hand was pulled away before he could feel their chest. He didn't hear so much as feel the Doctor drawing out his name in annoyance as he shook his head no.

"Rose," Jack asked. The Doctor shook his head no again. Jack pondered that. The last he had seen the Doctor they were going to travel together again. The fact that Rose wasn't with him confused Jack and he wondered what happened to her. The Doctor continued to hold his hand as the woman began to check his eyes and ears. It was when she began to listen to his heart, Jack got the hint.

"Martha," He questioned, wondering why he couldn't hear himself talk. The Doctor nodded against his hand. The knowledge that Martha was there finally allowed Jack to relax. He still wasn't quite sure where he was but with both the Doctor and Martha taking care of him, he was safe. They would figure out why he couldn't see or hear and keep him from harm until he could again. He yawned, suddenly exhausted even though he had just woken up. Smacking his lips, he let his eyes drift shut. The Doctor finally released his hand as once more the blankets were tucked up around him. He snuggled down into the warm bed allowing himself to fall asleep peacefully for the first time in as long as he could remember.

-DW-

The Doctor stared at the monitor as Jack slept. There had to be a way to unscramble the autron energy in his body and allow his body to heal. Yet he was unable to find a simple solution beyond killing Jack and he wasn't going to kill him. Even with the knowledge that Jack would return once he was dead, the Doctor didn't feel as though death were an answer. Also, there was no guarantee it would solve the problem besides letting Jack heal the wounds he already had. It wouldn't solve the issue of him not healing properly and the next time Jack got hurt they would be in the same situation. No, it was better to figure out how to fix this.

The Doctor couldn't remove the autron energy from his body either. To do so would cause Jack to die permanently, if it even worked. Rose had made him immortal using the heart of the TARDIS. While the TARDIS had apologized afterward for her part in making Jack a fixed point, Rose never had. In order to remove all the energy from his body they would have to use the heart of the TARDIS again and the Doctor wasn't going to risk that. So that led him back to the fact that he didn't know how to help Jack. He looked over at the man sleeping peacefully in the bed nearby.

Jack had and would continue to be there for him whenever he asked. Out of all the companions he had over the years, Jack was the one who had the most reason to hate him. Yet Jack didn't. Despite all of his flaws and the fact that he abandoned him on the game station, Jack continued to love him. He didn't deserve Jack's love. He deserved to be hated for the pain he had caused his friend. Still when Jack needed him the most, the TARDIS had answered the call and the next time Jack need him, he wouldn't hesitate to go to Torchwood. In all of time and space, Jack would be there for him whenever he called as well. That was only if he could save his body now. Taking a deep breath the Doctor looked back at the screen.


	6. Chapter 6

_For Reader777_

Once it had been confirmed that he was safe, Jack finally got the sleep he needed. He slept so long that Martha went home for the day from UNIT. The Doctor had worked until he grew frustrated from trying to find a solution to Jack's autron energy problem. Normally when frustrated, he would go for a run or find a planet to explore. At the moment, he wasn't going to be able to leave the TARDIS. He was going to stay by Jack's side until Jack was better. He needed a break, though. Sending a mental request to the TARDIS to keep an eye on Jack, he left the medi-bay. At first he just wandered the corridors trying to get rid of pent up energy. Finally, he retreated to his room for a hot shower. After he changed into his favorite Jimjams, before returning to Jack's side, a hot cup of tea in hand.

He smiled and thanked the TARDIS as he saw she had changed the bed next to Jack for him. The comforter was thick and TARDIS blue like the one on his bed. Sitting on it, he could smell that she had moved his pillows to the medi-bay to make him more comfortable. His book from his nightstand was sitting on the pillows and he picked it up opening it to the page he left off on. As he read, his eyes started to droop. Setting the book down for a moment, he made sure that Jack's IV was changed over and the correct medications were in his cannula. Tucking the blanket around Jack, he returned to his own bed crawling beneath the blankets. He hugged the pillow to his chest as he snuggled down deep into the cool bed. Getting comfortable he picked up the book once more, focusing on his story. He didn't try to focus, instead letting the book lull him to sleep. His eyes closed once, then twice and the book started to fall from his hand.

"Doc?" Jack asked sounding confused. The Doctor sighed as he forced his eyes open again. He looked over to see Jack reaching around the bed looking desperately for him. He yawned, reluctantly abandoning his bed as he went over to Jack. He caught Jack's hand in his own squeezing it reassuringly. Jack held on to it tightly as he rubbed his eye with his other hand. "Why can't I see?" He wondered, his voice was still raw sounding as he had healed very little in the last few hours. He coughed as the words made his throat scratchy.

"Easy," The Doctor cooed, helping him to sit up. He waited until Jack was done coughing before giving him a sip of his tea. Jack made a face at the sweet tea, and only took a couple of drinks before pushing it away.

"Doc?" Jack sounded upset as he rubbed at his eye again. The Doctor was at a loss on how to communicate what happened to Jack. Without Jack being able to see or hear he couldn't clearly explain that he was trying to find out how to fix his energy problems. He also didn't know how to use Jack's limited ability to tell him he would heal. He took Jack's hand in his rubbing the back of his knuckles comfortingly.

"I'm right here Jack," He tried to reassure him. Jack continued to rub at his eye as if he could rub the blindness from it if he kept trying hard enough. The TARDIS hummed at the Doctor and he nodded his agreement. Taking Jack's hands in his he placed them first to Jack's temples then leaned down and put Jack's hands against his own head. Jack's eyes narrowed confusion. The Doctor thought about it a moment before trying again. He placed Jack's fingers to his temples once more, then released Jack's hands as he put his own fingers to Jack's temples. "Let me in," He whispered.

Dawning crossed Jack's face. The Doctor smiled as he moved his hands waiting for Jack to give him permission. Jack was hesitant too and the Doctor understood why. Jack had been told that he was safe, but he couldn't actually see the Doctor and confirm it. If he gave the Doctor permission and then it turned out he was wrong, he may not be strong enough to stop a psychic attack. The just waited while Jack thought about it not pushing him to answer. Almost ten minutes passed before Jack nodded and touched the side of his temple. The Doctor sat down on the edge of Jack's bed. He gently placed his own index fingers to Jack's temples then closed his eyes.

"Oh Doc," Jack sighed in relief as the Doctor appeared before him. The Doctor could see that they were standing in a place of Jack's choosing, the wall built high behind him in defense in case he was wrong. Jack was wearing his long military coat with white shirt and black dress pants. Looking down he saw that he had his brown suit and his coat. He looked back up at Jack.

"Hello Jack," The Doctor smiled. Jack came forward, wrapping his arm around the Doctor hugging him tight.

"Why can't I see or hear you?" Jack wondered getting directly to the point. The Doctor released the hug as he frowned.

"How much do you remember? Do you remember the cabin?" The Doctor questioned as he tried to determine how much he needed to explain.

"I do. I remember being electrocuted non-stop until finally I was released from the shackles." Jack shuddered then looked horrified. "I bit you."

"I'm fine," The Doctor reassured Jack. Jack shook his head no.

"I made you bleed," Jack insisted.

"Yes, you did. Martha took care of my arm and while it is sore, I really am fine. I didn't come into your mind to discuss me, though. I came to discuss why you can't see or hear me," The Doctor reminded him. "It really is quite simple, the electricity that was surging through your body caused damage to both your eyes and ears. While normally it would be easy for you to heal the damage, the electricity also disrupted your autron energy. Until I can figure out how to fix the energy, your body won't heal properly."

"What happens if I die?" Jack questioned. The Doctor looked up at him sadly.

"I would rather you didn't. If you do die, you will return to life still but there is no guarantee about how much you will heal," The Doctor explained.

"So I am going to be blind and deaf for the rest of eternity?" Jack asked, the sadness clear in his voice.

"No, because I am not going to let that happen. I will find a way to help you heal. It is just going to take time. I can't stay connected to your mind the entire time but if you need me just call and the TARDIS can alert me if I am not in the room. Also, anytime you need to talk, tap your temple and I will connect with you," The Doctor promised him.

"Don't leave me," Jack panicked as he grabbed on to the Doctor's hand. The Doctor smiled sympathetically at him.

"I'm not going far. The TARDIS has prepared the next bed over me to sleep on. I will be nearby if you need anything," The Doctor reassured him.

"Pizza?" Jack questioned. The Doctor narrowed his eyes in concern.

"Are you hungry?" He wondered. Jack nodded. "I will get you pizza tomorrow. Tonight you need to eat something light and make sure that you don't just get sick immediately after."

"I won't get sick," Jack told him.

"Normally I would agree, but with you not healing right, it is better not to take any chances. Now do you want soup, toast or both?" The Doctor questioned.

"Both. With coffee and not tea," Jack responded. The Doctor chuckled.

"Alright," He agreed. He removed his finger's from Jack's temples as he opened his eyes. Jack was still holding his hand tightly. The Doctor not wanting to leave Jack alone yet as well as in the dark and quiet. He waited until Jack released his hand before hurrying to the kitchen to make his meal. He then sat with Jack as he ate, assisting him where needed. Jack ate the entire bowl of soup with four pieces of toast and two cups of coffee, before he was full. The Doctor set the tray aside, taking Jack's hand as he waited for him to drift on to sleep once more. As he waited he looked longingly at his own bed. Just a little longer and he would be able to sleep as well.


	7. Chapter 7

-Jack-

Waking up, he opened his eyes. While he could feel his eyelids opening he was once again greeted by a dark quiet room. He sighed as he lifted his hand to his eye to try to rub the darkness away. It didn't work of course and he didn't know how long he could be patient for while he waited for the Doctor to come up with a solution. Right now he needed to rest, but what if he was still deaf and blind when he was able to be on his feet again? He could learn to adapt, but to spend the rest of eternity this way seemed like a punishment. He knew he was feeling sorry for himself. He had a right to, though, didn't he? Here he was stuck in a bed. He was blind, deaf, hungry and had to lose the loo. He had always been extremely independent, now he was going to have to learn to rely heavily on someone. Did he trust the Doctor that much? He just had to have faith that the Doctor wouldn't just abandon him again. Not until he was ready to survive on his own.

"Doctor," He tried to ask. He felt someone take his hand. The hand was too small to be the Doctor's. "Martha?" he wondered feeling disappointed. His hand was lifted up and he felt her place it against her cheek as she nodded.

"Is the Doctor around?" He questioned. His throat itched from the words and he cleared it several times as he tried not to cough. She shook her head no. He took a deep breath. So much for being there when he needed him. Still Martha was a doctor herself. "I need to use the loo." He felt her release his hand. He was left alone for a moment, then something cold and plastic was pressed into his hand. He furrowed his brow in confusion. Martha took his arm, guiding it down to his groin. Realization struck him. It was a bottle for him to use.

"Are you going to help me guide it?" He asked her cheekily. Martha tapped him gently on the arm, chastising him. He smiled as he tried to figure out how to use the bottle without being able to see it. In the end, Martha did have to help him and he tried not to comment on it. She took the bottle away once he was finished. She then pressed a wet cloth into his hand. He used the cloth to wipe his face and clean his fingers. After he handed the cloth back, she slowly lifted the back of the bed until he was sitting up. He felt something placed across his lap. His hand was taken once more and guided. There was a soft substance, sitting by something hard and hot. He felt around it, finding a handle. Lifting the cup he took a drink of his coffee. It wasn't as good as Ianto's coffee, but he still appreciated the gesture. He only needed a little help to set it back down, he then grabbed the soft substance. Lifting it to his nose, he smelled it. The smell of bacon with a brown sauce filled his senses and he took a bite happily. He groaned in pleasure at the taste. He didn't know if it was because he had only been given soup the night before, or if his taste buds were in overdrive because of the loss of his other senses, but the butty had to be the best one he ever tasted. Happily he took another bite.

-DW-

Martha arrived to work early. She hurried up to her office. Opening the door, she was pleasantly surprised to see the TARDIS was still sitting in the corner. The Doctor usually didn't stay in one place long and she was worried that he would leave before they figured out what was wrong with Jack. Setting her coat down, she left her office for a moment to get them all breakfast. She bought Jack and the Doctor three bacon butty's each. To Jack's she added brown sauce, knowing that he preferred it that way. She got brown sauce on the side for her own two butties and the Doctors. She also grabbed a banana for the Doctor, knowing he always had a banana before he ate anything else. While she found it strange, she had learned long ago not to question it.

She took the food into the TARDIS. Stopping by the kitchen first she made everyone a drink, then took the items into the medi-bay on a tray. Walking in she saw that Jack was awake, rubbing his eyes. The Doctor was still sleeping soundly in the bed next to him. He was oblivious to the world as his head was covered so that only the top of his hair stuck out. Martha was careful not to wake him as she moved to Jack's side. She placed the tray on the bedside table.

"Doctor?" Jack asked sounding upset. Martha took his hand and feeling her hand he changed his question. "Martha?" Martha followed the Doctor's lead, lifting Jack's hand up to her cheek and nodding. If Jack was going to remain this way for more than a few days, they were going to have to come up with a better way of communicating. For now, though, yes and no answers would have to work.

"Is the Doctor around?" Jack wondered. Martha glanced at the Doctor out of the corner of her eye. She was reluctant to wake him just yet. The Doctor rarely let his companions see him sleep so if he was still sleeping he needed it. She shook her head no. Tears filled Jack's eyes. He didn't try to wipe them away though. "I need to use the loo," He told her sounding embarrassed.

"Oh, Jack," Martha whispered. She left his side to get a bottle for him to use. It took a little coordination and help from her for him to figure it out. She emptied part of the bottle into a sterilized cup with a lid so that she could test it. The rest she disposed of. After she helped Jack get cleaned up, before placing his food in front of him. He was eating happily when she heard the Doctor stirring.

"Morning," he groaned as he pushed the blankets back.

"Good morning," Martha answered cheerfully. She handed him his cup of tea and he took it. He took a sip of it as he tried to wake up. "I came early to check on Jack and I brought bacon butties for breakfast. I didn't know if you wanted brown sauce so I brought extra."

"I need a banana," he yawned. Martha smiled. She pulled the banana out handing it to him.

"Did you think I forgot?" She asked. He shrugged as he opened the fruit taking a bite. He finished it quickly, seeming more alert once it was gone. Getting out of bed, he picked up one of his sandwiches. He took a bite as he tapped his index finger against Jack's temple. Jack nodded. The Doctor set his sandwich down. Pressing his fingers against Jack's temples, he closed his eyes for a moment.

"I thought you left me," Jack pouted as he allowed the Doctor into his mind. The Doctor saw that the room they were in hand changed. No longer was a solid wall behind them, instead it looked as though they were in a bar. Various tables were scattered about and Jack was sitting on a bar stool at the counter. The Doctor shook his head no.

"I was sleeping," He explained. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Better. I still can't see or hear, but I don't feel as though I am going to die anymore," Jack answered. "Also I am starving."

"Martha has more bacon butties for you and I will get you pizza for lunch. It is your autron energy that is making you hungry as it tries to repair itself," The Doctor informed him with a smile.

"Does that mean I will heal soon?" Jack wondered.

"I'm sorry Jack, but I don't know," The Doctor replied.

"Be honest Doc. How long will I be like this?" Jack begged him for an answer. Unfortunately, it was one he didn't have.

"I don't know. I am working on it, it will just take time Jack," The Doctor informed him. "I will find a solution I promise."

"I believe you," Jack responded. The Doctor moved his fingers from Jack's temple opening his eyes once more. Martha was staring at him curiously.

"You can talk to him telepathically?" She asked. The Doctor nodded, picking his sandwich back up and taking a bite. "How is he?"

"He is scared, but he is starting to feel better and he is hungry," The Doctor explained. "We just need to keep him comfortable and make sure that we have lots of food around until we figure out a solution."

"I will go shopping later, as I doubt you have much food aboard the TARDIS," Martha teased.

"Just make sure he gets pizza for lunch. I promised him pizza," The Doctor told her. He didn't ask what kind of pizza, but knowing Jack he would want something with lots of meat. That wouldn't be hard to figure out, would it?


	8. Chapter 8

Martha assisted the Doctor where she could. She didn't understand the calculations that he was doing to try to figure out Jack's autron energy, though. Nor did she understand his train of thought as he babbled to himself, not trying to explain the process to her. He finished only one of his bacon buttys as he concentrated on helping Jack and didn't notice or care when she let Jack eat one of his. He also didn't notice when she disappeared for two hours, coming back with a car load of groceries to fill his kitchen and several large pizzas. From her travels she remembered the Doctor would eat pizza with veggies on it while Jack only ate ones covered in meat. She was in between the two of them and so she bought three pizzas trying to make them all happy. Her efforts were wasted as the Doctor refused to sit down and eat and Jack only ate one slice. Martha tried to coax him into eating more, but he seemed to have given up. He pushed the pizza away from his mouth, closing his eyes. Martha sat down on the edge of the bed and gently stroked his head.

"It's going to be alright Jack," She cooed, even if he couldn't hear her. He turned his head away from her hand, burying it in his pillow. Getting the hint that he just wanted to be left alone, she stood heading over to the Doctor. "Anything I can help with?"

"Do you understand Autron Energy or how it interacts with electricity? Because I know the electricity disrupted Jack's Autron energy but what I don't understand is how. If the TARDIS was subjected to the same amount of electrical currents for the same amount of time, nothing would happen. Yet in Jack it caused the energy that is keeping him alive to disperse and interrupt his healing ability. What I need to do is figure out how to redistribute the energy back into his cells without electrocuting him again. Although electrocution may be the key," The Doctor babbled as he wrote on the board. Martha looked at the board when he had started writing he had been writing in English, but the more focused he became he had slipped into circular Gallifreyan instead.

"I don't. I took a urine sample earlier today and I am going to run test on it and his blood," Martha explained.

"You can. It won't help, but go right ahead," The Doctor replied. Martha bristled slightly. She resisted the urge to smack the Doctor as she headed off the TARDIS. She would get her lab to run the test she wanted and check on her other patients. While she wanted to help Jack, she had others who needed her. She returned after her shift to make sure they ate before heading home. Jack was still pretending to be asleep and the Doctor was so engrossed in his work, he didn't bother to stop. Frustrated with the two of them, she left their dinner in the medi-bay and headed home.

-DW-

"Doctor?" Jack questioned shortly after Martha stopped messing with his IV. The smell of hamburgers filled the room, but he wasn't hungry. He was bored, sore and miserable. Not being able to see or hear had thrown off his sense of time completely and he had no way of knowing how long it had been since his rescue. He might have only been in the medi-bay a few hours or it could have been a few days. "Doctor," He tried again. He felt a hand gently touch his cheek and he leaned into it.

"I'm here Jack," The Doctor whispered. He could see the tears that filled his friend's eyes. The Doctor couldn't remember if he had ever seen Jack cry before now. Not that he blamed him. Jack normally healed quickly. He could be injured one moment and healed the next without a second thought. Upon being rescued from that cabin, he would have thought his ordeal was over, now he was still healing. He tapped the side of Jack's temple slightly surprised when Jack shook his head no.

"I hate this," Jack complained.

"I know," the Doctor replied. He stroked Jack's head gently as Jack lay there miserable, wondering how he could comfort his friend. If their roles were reversed he knew that Jack wouldn't hesitate on climbing up on the bed with him. In fact, much to his dismay, Jack had did exactly that when he was in his last body. He had been injured when showing off for Rose but had still managed to hide the fact that he hurt his leg pretty badly. Much to Jack's credit, he never told Rose. In fact he helped him to the medi-bay, bandaged his leg, then laid with him while he sulked. The Doctor had appreciated the gesture at the time, even if he never thanked Jack for it.

He debated with himself as he slowly toed his converse off. He stood there in just his socks for a moment before sighing. He was being a coward, he could do this. He sat down on the edge of Jack's bed, then turned so that he could stretch out beside him. Opening his arms, he pulled Jack closer to him. Jack immediately snuggled into him as close as he could get. The Doctor hugged him close, rubbing Jack's back.

"There, there. I have you," The Doctor reassured Jack. Jack started to shiver and soon was trembling against him. Tears were flowing freely from his eyes, as he held tightly to the Doctor. The Doctor just held him letting him cry. Yet he remained in Jack's bed with him long after Jack went still, his breathing evening out in sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Jack slept peacefully for about three hours before he began to wake up. He fought waking up as he wanted to go back to the dream where he had fallen asleep in the Time Lord's arms. He would skip the embarrassing part about crying himself to exhaustion, and get right to the part where the Doctor held him close, rubbing his back gently. He could still feel arms around him and it was the first time since he started to date the young Welshman, that he actually felt disappointed to be waking up next to Ianto. Breathing in through his nose, a small smile crossed his face as he smelled the familiar scent of the Time Lord. He opened his eyes a crack, the smile immediately fading as he was once again greeted by darkness.

Upon seeing that Jack as awake, the Doctor moved his hand to Jack's head, gently stroking the hair behind his ear. He didn't try to move, content to lay in bed with Jack as long as he needed to. Eventually, he would have to get back to the math problems that were making his head hurt, but for now it was nice laying in bed with another warm body. He hadn't shared a bed with anyone since Donna and she wasn't much of a cuddler. In fact, he was sure he would have been punched for trying. Still she didn't like to be alone at night on the TARDIS and truthfully, neither did he. He pushed the thought of Donna away as tears filled his eyes. He missed his friend and the sister she had been to him.

Since leaving Donna at her mum's house, he had been alone. It didn't matter how many times he told himself he was better off alone, or that he had become reckless, he still missed having a companion aboard. Donna had known from the start that he needed someone to stop him. Jack had forced him to slow down but he couldn't help but wonder how long it would be until he was alone again? He had asked Jack to travel with him and Jack had told him no. While he respected Jack's decision to stay on Earth and run Torchwood, he had hated leaving him behind.

Running his hand along Jack's ear, he reached the bottom again before lifting his hand to Jack's temple. He gently tapped his finger against it. Jack immediately nodded, turning his head so that the Doctor could reach both his temples. The Doctor pulled his arm loose, from underneath Jack. He put his index fingers to Jack's temples, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Jack told him immediately as he entered the club again.

"For?" The Doctor asked sounding confused. Jack stared at him a moment. The Doctor seemed genuinely confused over the fact that Jack was apologizing to him.

"Never mind," Jack responded. "Are you any closer to finding a solution?"

"I promise I am working on it. It will just take time Jack. I know you are bored and frustrated already. Tomorrow I will see about getting you out of bed and we can go for a walk around the TARDIS and then as you heal UNIT," The Doctor told him.

"What is the point? I can't see anything," Jack reminded him with a sigh.

"You can't lay in bed until we discover how to fix this. I'm sorry Jack, but it may take awhile. In the meantime, I will teach you how to communicate by Tactile signing so that I can still talk to you when we aren't joined telepathically," The Doctor explained to him.

"Do you really think it will take that long?" Jack asked sounding depressed.

"I don't know. Still it would be helpful for you to know sign language as well as how to read braille," The Doctor replied. He leaned back against a pole. The pole disappeared as he did, causing him to fall back. He caught himself, not commenting on it. He fixed his coat out of habit as he looked at Jack. "I know it isn't fair, but we will fix this. In the meantime, you need to get your strength up so that I can help you. Martha bought three pizzas earlier, I will get yours and mine so that we can eat."

"I'd rather have a whiskey," Jack sighed.

"I know but with the medication you are on it is better if you don't drink," The Doctor smiled sympathetically at him. "I can get you a nice hot cup of coffee."

"I guess that will do. Is it too much to hope for that you have something sweet like cake?" Jack wondered. The Doctor shrugged.

"Martha went shopping earlier. I can check. So pizza, coffee and cake?" The Doctor questioned. Jack nodded. "Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of," Jack replied. The Doctor strolled over to Jack hugging him close.

"It's going to be alright," He promised. Jack hugged him back.

"What if I never see or hear again?" Jack asked him softly.

"Then I will take continue to take care of you as long as I can," The Doctor replied without hesitation. Jack looked up at him surprised by the statement. He expected the Doctor to run as soon as possible, but the Doctor was actually thinking about staying by his side.

"Thank you," Jack responded, knowing it didn't express how truly grateful he was. The Doctor released the hug, then opened his eyes back into the medi-bay. He got out of bed and headed to the kitchen. Pulling the leftover pizza out of the fridge, he saw a banana banoffee pie waiting for him. He smiled as he pulled it out. He really owed Martha an apology tomorrow for his rudeness. He piled the pizza, pie and a cup of coffee as well as tea onto the pizza. Carrying them back to Jack's bed, he set them down on the end table.

Before placing the table across Jack's lap, he grabbed his thicker blanket off the other bed and spread it over Jack. He then placed his pillow on the side he had been sleeping. Taking the table, he sat down next to Jack, then placed it over their legs. He spread the food out in front of them. Lifting his hand, he put it against Jack's temple.

"Banana banoffee pie," He told Jack happily.

"That works," Jack responded. With the Doctor's help, he took a slice of pizza and began to eat. The Doctor thought about starting on the pie. Feeling a little guilty, he opened his own pizza and dug in. After a few slices each, they finished off the entire pie together. The Doctor made sure Jack had his fair share, even if he wanted to eat it all. After they were both full, he moved the table, settling down next to Jack and closing his eyes.

-DW-

The Doctor was dreaming about midnight again. He could feel the helplessness he felt aboard the bus as he was drug towards the door and the xtonic sun. He tried to scream for someone to help him, but the creature used his voice against him. He instead told the people to throw him off of the bus and out into the deadly sun. As the door to the bus opened, he found himself being drug out into the woods. He recognized the path as the one that he walked to find Jack.

"Let me go," he demanded as he fought against the hands holding him. He could see the men holding him clearly in the bright light of the day. The men both had short brown hair and thick beards. Their skin was tan from the sun and their clothes were old and patched. "I told you before my name isn't Alex."

"Shut up," The Man hissed. "I don't give a shit if your name is Alex or what you call yourself. You made the wrong people mad. Now you are going to suffer the consequences. We got a nice cabin rigged up for you and you are going to learn the hard way about what happens to people who don't pay their debts."

"I," Jack tried. He was rewarded for his effort with a punch to the jaw.

"I said shut it," The man seethed at him. Jack glared at him, spitting the blood that filled his mouth on the ground in front of him. He knew it had been wrong to trust that Alex bloke, just because he was easy on the eyes. Once again he found himself thinking with groin and had been rudely awoken by these two goons. He was dragged into an empty cabin and down a set of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, there were shackles. The men shackled his hands to the ceiling, forcing him to hang by his wrist. They then attached the shackles to his ankles.

"Let's see how much electricity it takes to make him sing. I bet only a few jolts and he will be singing like a canary," The man laughed. Jack spat at him. The man turned the switch and electricity raced through his body. He tried not to scream as body jolted in pain.

"I think he likes it," The man's partner told him.

"You know what I agree," The man responded. He turned up the electricity. Jack's body started to go numb from it. He held out from screaming as long as he could but as the pain rose, he found himself unable to stop screaming. The man laughed and Jack felt the pain get worse before blackness overtook him. He gasped back to life, looking at the stunned faces of the two men. They had stopped the electricity, as they prepared to dispose of his body. The first man quickly snapped out of it as he turned the electricity on again. Once again Jack held out as long as he could until he felt death greeting him. The next time he woke there was no reprieve from the pain. He screamed as every cell was on fire as he awaited his next death.

-DW-

The Doctor shot awake, moving his hand quickly away from Jack's temple. Why he had placed it there, he didn't know. All he knew was that he wanted to find these men who had hurt Jack. His hand shaking, he reached for his tea. It had gone stone cold, but that didn't matter. He still took a drink trying to calm himself down. Jack didn't deserve the pain that the men had caused him. Jack didn't deserve any of the pain that had been a constant part of his life since becoming immortal. Jack was a kind decent man.

Draining the tea, he laid back down. Jack was still sleeping soundly and he reached out to him, stroking the side of Jack's head gently. He thought of getting out of bed and going to his own. At least there it would be his own nightmares. He needed the companionship as much as Jack, though. Snuggling close to Jack, he closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

The Doctor didn't go back to sleep as his mind raced. He couldn't help but wonder who Alex was and how Jack got involved with him. One thing he knew for sure, though, was that he was going to track down the men who had hurt Jack and see how they liked it. He sighed. That kind of thinking was what got him in trouble in the first place. He didn't need to hurt the men to prove a point. He would try to talk to them first, but there would be no second chances. Whether or not they knew it, they had used their first one already when they hurt Jack. Thinking of Jack, the Doctor looked up at him, sleeping peacefully. Moving even closer he lay his head down on Jack's chest, resting peacefully for awhile.

After awhile he gave up all together on trying to go back to sleep. He crawled out of bed, tucking the blanket around Jack to keep him warm. He had always told his companions that he needed less sleep than them, and while that was true, in reality he was just use to being sleep deprived. Nightmares had plagued him ever since he was a child, starting with the darkness then growing worse when someone grabbed his foot. He had been told it was just a dream, yet he never forget the way they sat on his bed, stroking his head. He stopped sleeping in the barn after that. Instead, he hid his face in the pillow to block out his crying until he learned to stop the tears. It didn't matter that the woman had taught him that he could use his fear to his advantage and that fear could make him kind. He still couldn't look at the barn without remembering that night and that barn was the last part of his planet that he saw as he destroyed it. He had left the TARDIS miles away not intending on living through its destruction. Yet for some reason he had been cursed to live.

He shuddered trying to push the thoughts away. He didn't want to think about that. It was bad enough that he had to relive it in his nightmares, and that he knew how many children he had killed that horrible day. He would never forget the night that he counted them all as their faces flashed through his mind. He put his hands to his face, pushing on his eyes as he pushed backed the images. *One, two, three.* He couldn't count them again, he wouldn't. He knew the number wasn't that enough. *Four, five, six.* He had to focus on something else, anything. He turned his attention to the board that had his calculations on it. He rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on the information. *Seven, eight, nine.*

It wasn't working, the numbers blurred before him as he tried to focus. His head was pounding and he pressed his fingers to the bridge between his nose trying to stop the headache as well as images. *Ten, eleven, twelve.* He needed someone to talk to him, to distract him from the images in his mind. He looked towards Jack. He was still sleeping soundly. *Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.* It wasn't fair to wake him, but if he didn't he would be no help to Jack. The images were coming faster now and soon they would be out of his control. *Sixteen, seventeen." He stumbled to the bed pressing his fingers to Jack's temples.

"Wake up." He couldn't stop the desperateness from coming through the connection. *Eighteen, nineteen.* "Please, Jack I need you," The Doctor cried out. Jack's eyes popped open as someone tried to push into his mind. He immediately put up his defenses before realizing it was the Doctor. He lowered them slowly, still slightly wary about why the Doctor was invading his mind while he slept.

"Doc?" Jack asked as he stood in front of the wall.

"Make them stop," The Doctor begged as he fell to his knees. He pressed his hands to his head. *Twenty-three."

"Make what stop?" Jack asked dropping to his knees in front of the Doctor. He moved the Doctor's hands so that he could look into his eyes. The Doctor stared back up at him terrified.

"I don't want to count them, please don't make me count them," The Doctor pleaded. The wall faded as faces began to flash by. *Thirty, thirty-one.* Jack looked at the faces. All of them were children wearing the orange robes of the Time Lords. The Doctor was counting them for Jack to hear now. *Thirty-seven.* Jack focused this was his mind he could control what he saw. He forced them to the small club that he favored.

"Doctor, look at me," Jack demanded. The Doctor didn't listen as he continued to count. Jack sighed, trying another approach. "Remember when I first met you. I saw Rose floating from that rope and all I could think about was getting her into my bed. Of course, I also wanted to steal your TARDIS." That got the Doctor's attention. He lifted his head slowly. *forty-five.* "I would have too if you would have even left me alone long enough with her."

"You couldn't," The Doctor replied in disbelief.

"I am a fifty-first century guy. You think I couldn't drive a TARDIS," Jack laughed. "I could have charmed her then taken off before you realized I was gone. Rose and I would have had an adventure of a lifetime. That was of course until I left her somewhere random so that I could charm something else and there are a lot of rooms aboard the TARDIS I could christen. The control room was taken care of long ago."

"You did not have sex in my TARDIS," The Doctor argued, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. Jack smiled. The distraction had worked. The Doctor was no longer counting.

"You're right I didn't. Nor did I ever want to take off with Rose. Even if I wanted to she wouldn't have gone with me. She only ever had eyes for you," Jack reminded him. The Doctor closed his mouth as he continued to stare at Jack. "Feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you," The Doctor sighed in relief as he realized he had stopped counting.

"Good. Now that I am awake what do you say I get into those tight brown trousers," Jack flirted. He didn't dare ask the Doctor what the counting was about and risk him starting again, no matter how curious he was.

"Jack," The Doctor drew out the word in annoyance.

"Fine, I will settle for using the loo and breakfast," Jack teased him.

"Think you can get out of bed or do you want a bottle?" The Doctor wondered.

"I can get up," Jack told him. The Doctor faded and Jack's world went completely black again. The Doctor got up out of the bed. He removed Jack's IV, clamping it off so that it didn't leak all over the TARDIS floor. He then pushed the stand aside so that Jack didn't trip over it. Grabbing the blankets on the bed, he pulled them back. Jack was still wearing his trousers thankfully and the Doctor planned on helping him change later. Taking Jack's hands, he helped him to sit up, then swing his legs off the edge of the bed. Once Jack was standing, he didn't try to move as Jack swayed slightly on his feet.

"You're alright," The Doctor reassured him, even though Jack couldn't hear him. He tugged gently on Jack's hand once Jack seemed steady. Jack took a hesitant step forward, followed by another. The grip on the Doctor's hand was so tight, that it was starting to cut off the circulation. The Doctor didn't make him let go, though, as he continued to lead him slowly forward. The TARDIS moved a loo right across the hall. They walked into the room and turned Jack so that he was facing it. He took Jack's other hand, placing it on the back of the loo. Jack felt across it, a relieved look crossing his face. He let go of the Doctor's hand as he pulled himself out of his trousers.

The Doctor tried not to look at Jack's member or complain as Jack missed the loo and hit the TARDIS floor. Jack had barely even began to cope with being blind and deaf, let alone learn how to live with it. The Doctor flushed the loo, then grabbed Jack's upper arm, moving him to the sink.

"You need to wash your hands now," The Doctor told him, moving his hands under the water. Jack got the hint. With the Doctor's help, he washed his hands then together they set off to the kitchen. Once there, the Doctor had Jack sit down in one of the chairs as he made him coffee. He handed the cup to Jack with one hand and with the other, turned Jack's hand palm up. He spelled the word coffee into Jack's hand. Jack glared at him pulling his hand away.

"Do you have the items to make omelets for breakfast?" Jack wondered. The Doctor took his hand again, spelling the word yes, before placing Jack's hand to his cheek and nodding.

"I will make you one," The Doctor told him. He released Jack's hand, observing him for a moment. Jack was keeping one hand on the coffee handle so that he wouldn't lose track of it while he waited. It was a start, granted not a big one, but at least it was better than nothing. The Doctor made Jack a big omelette with sausage, onions, mushrooms, spinach and topped with tomato. He made himself a smaller one with the same ingredients, but he wasn't really hungry after his nightmare. He set Jack's down in front of him. Taking his hand, he spelled out the word omelette and then fork as he placed it in Jack's hand.

"Stop it," Jack hissed as he closed his hand around the fork and then stabbed the table. He lifted it to his mouth and closed his lips around it, not seeming to care there was no food. The Doctor helped him guide the fork down to the plate again, getting a bit of the omelette on it. He only ate a few bites of his own omelette as helped Jack to eat his own omelette and then let him eat the rest of his. He sipped his tea, slowly as he wondered how he could help Jack to see, learning how to communicate by sign language wasn't a bad thing. After all, Jack had helped him now he needed to find a way to help Jack.


	11. Chapter 11

Once Jack was done eating, the Doctor took his plate to the sink, dropping it into be washed later. He made Jack another cup of coffee, then helped Jack take the handle as he tried to figure out what he wanted for breakfast. His stomach still churned at the thought of food, though. Unlike a human, he had to eat something in order to keep his energy levels up. Sure he could go longer without food than a human, but he would feel worse quicker due to his Time Lord energy levels dropping. It didn't matter that he was still able to function better, he needed to eat something. He grabbed a banana, sitting down at the table to eat it as Jack nursed his coffee.

"There you two are," Martha commented as she came into the kitchen, relieved to find them. She had stopped by the medi-bay, surprised to find that Jack wasn't in there. She paused to look at them. Jack had a scowl on his face as he drank a cup of coffee. The Doctor, on the other hand, was playing with a banana rather then eating it and his coffee was virtually untouched. "Bad night?"

"No, not really," The Doctor replied. Martha nodded going to get herself a cup of coffee. She saw the pan for the omelette as well as the two plates in the sink as she did. They had both been up awhile if they had already eaten. Curious of what happened, she finished making her coffee. Taking it she sat down at the table as she took a drink.

"Did he have a nightmare?" Martha questioned, wondering why they were up so early.

"Yes, but it didn't wake him. He was still sleeping soundly afterwards," The Doctor informed her.

"But it woke you." It wasn't a question but still the Doctor nodded. "I have known both of you long enough to know that you are both prone to nightmares. Was Jack's about his recent torment?"

"Yes. They tried to kill him just because they thought he was someone named Alex. I haven't talked to him about it yet so I don't know who Alex is or why he was associated with him," The Doctor explained he looked towards Jack. Reaching out, he brushed a piece of hair off of Jack's forehead. He was really going to have to help Jack shave and wash his hair later today. Jack didn't react to the touch. The Doctor dropped his hand back to his own tea.

"So he had a nightmare, but it didn't wake him, but it woke you. So why are you both up so early?" Martha questioned. The Doctor hesitated, looking towards the door. Martha didn't miss it as she watched him.

"I woke him after," The Doctor offered sheepishly.

"Because of his nightmare," Martha questioned slightly confused. If Jack had still been sleeping soundly, she was unsure why the Doctor would wake him.

"No, because of mine," The Doctor whispered. Martha raised an eyebrow at him. She had been woken up several times while they traveled together due to the Doctor's screaming as he suffered a nightmare. There was only one time that she could remember that she was awoken by him crawling into bed with her begging her to make the nightmare stop.

"Is it like the last time?" Martha asked him sensitively.

"Yes." The Doctor didn't look at her as he answered. Martha took a breath.

"Do you want me to give you pills to help you sleep again?" Martha questioned. The Doctor thought about it for a moment. The very first time he counted the children, he had been alone in his ninth body. Rose was staying with her mum for the night and he had counted ever single one of the children who had been lost that day. He thought by knowing the number he was done until he woke up Martha as the faces filled his mind again. After he refused to sleep, almost falling asleep on his feet several times until Martha gave him sleeping pills to help him fall into a deep dreamless sleep. He took the pills again a few times with Donna. While the pills would allow him to sleep, he couldn't take them.

"I can't take the pills and be there for Jack when he needs me," The Doctor informed her.

"You need your sleep though Doctor. I can stay on board the TARDIS for a few nights and listen for Jack as you rest," Martha reassured him. The Doctor looked at Jack.

"You won't tell him why, will you?" The Doctor questioned.

"Even if I could talk to Jack, I wouldn't tell him," Martha responded. "The fact that you need pills stays between us."

"Thank you," The Doctor told her. He took another drink of his coffee, wondering if he should sleep in his own room tonight, or if he should curl up with Jack again. Jack didn't have to sleep in the medi-bay anymore and the Doctor's bed was more comfortable than the ones he kept in there. He was going to give Jack ideas though if he invited him into his bed. The Doctor drained the last of his tea. Reaching up he tapped Jack's temple with his finger.

"Are you going to try to teach me to sign if I let you in?" Jack questioned, the annoyance coming through clearly in his voice. The Doctor placed his cheek against Jack's hand shaking his head no. "Alright. If you try I am kicking you out."

"You didn't mention anything about sign language," Martha commented.

"I'll explain later," The Doctor told her. He put his hands to Jack's temples closing his eyes. He was disappointed to find himself in front of the wall again, showing a clear lack of trust from Jack. Jack was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"What is it?" Jack asked slightly annoyed.

"I was going to offer to take you to the shower and help you shave," The Doctor told him. Jack raised an eyebrow at him. "If you don't trust me, though, Martha is here and she can take you instead. It's up to you Jack."

"I would prefer you helped me," Jack responded standing up straight. "I know you are trying to help me Doc, but forcing me to understand what you are trying to say on my palm isn't helping. It feels strange and is hard to concentrate on."

"It will get easier in time. You just have to give it a chance. Think about it and after your shower, I can help you learn or you can spend time with Martha while I work on sorting out your energy problem," The Doctor informed him. Jack sighed loudly. "I won't force you to learn it Jack, but your life will open up more again if you do."

"I know," Jack sighed again. "I will think about it." The Doctor opened his eyes releasing Jack's temples. Standing he took Jack's hand as Jack got to his feet.

"We are going to take a shower and shave. After he is going to decide who he wants to spend time with," The Doctor informed Martha.

"I will be here. I still have an hour before I am supposed to start work. I am going to make myself breakfast while you two clean up," Martha told him knowing she didn't have to ask. The Doctor led Jack out of the kitchen and to the bathroom. He helped Jack strip then took off his own clothes climbing into the shower. He didn't miss the pout on Jack's face as he turned on the water.

"I finally get to shower with you and I can't even look at you naked. It isn't fair," Jack whined. The Doctor didn't even try to remind him that if he wasn't blind they wouldn't be sharing a shower, cause Jack was right. It wasn't fair. Picking up the shampoo bottle, he squirted some in his hands and tenderly began to help Jack bathe.


	12. Chapter 12

After their shower, the Doctor helped Jack to sit down on the loo facing him. He placed a towel across Jack's lap as he tried once again not to glance at Jack's groin. As a Time Lord, it should have been easy for him, but he found himself looking and then scolding himself for looking several times. Once Jack was covered he picked up a razor, taking a deep breath as he did. It had been a long time since he had helped anyone shave and he was worried that he was going to nick Jack's face. He placed a hand against Jack's cheek, still warm from the shower. Leaving it there he stared into Jack's unseeing eyes. Jack sat patiently for awhile as he waited before his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Are you still going to help me shave?" Jack wondered. The Doctor removed his hand from Jack's cheek. Grabbing the shaving cream, he lathered Jack's face. Slowly and carefully he helped Jack shave off his beard. He managed to finish without nicking Jack once, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Getting a cloth wet, he wiped the rest of the cream off Jack's face. Except for the fact that Jack's hair was a little too long, he looked almost normal again. The Doctor smiled at seeing the Jack he once knew sitting there waiting for him. He quickly shaved his own face, not taking as much care and nicking himself once.

"Smarter than a bloody ape and I still manage to cut myself. How is it that I can shave your face and not cut you once?" The Doctor seethed to Jack. He finished shaving then took Jack's hand, pulling him to stand up. Jack did, letting the towel fall to the ground. "And you can't even figure out how to hold a towel and keep yourself covered. It is amazing you apes even managed to discover fire let alone how to pull on a pair of trousers. I am surprised you aren't all running around naked." The Doctor pulled Jack into his room. Leaving him in the middle of it a moment, he found Jack a pair of trousers and a clean shirt. He handed them to Jack going back into the closet. He dressed in his brown suit, complete with a brown tie with blue swirls on it. He fixed his hair so that it was spiked up taking the time to make sure that it was messy, but not too messy.

"Doctor? Jack asked in concern after a little while. The Doctor went back into his room to find that Jack had managed to find the bed and was sitting on it. His trousers were on correctly, but he had buttoned his shirt so that it was at an angle and he had missed several buttons causing it to be bunched up in some places. The Doctor tutted, going over to Jack.

"That was a good try," The Doctor praised him. He started to fix Jack's shirt for him as he did Jack put a hand on his to stop him.

"I know you are only taking care of me because you feel sorry for me Doc and as soon as I am healed you are going to take off again. And don't get me wrong I understand traveling the stars is what is best for you," Jack told him. The Doctor frowned. He put his finger to Jack's temple, but Jack shook his head no. "I don't want to see your face and have you tell me it's not going to be like that this time. We have separate lives Doctor and though they cross sometimes, I have the feeling that if you hadn't found me in that cabin, I would have never seen you again. I also know that once I am healed you will take me to Cardiff and that will be the end of our time together. If you want to leave me with Martha until you find a cure, I understand as you have too much to do and there is too much in this universe to see to be burdened with a blind and deaf friend."

"I don't think you're a burden Jack," The Doctor whispered as he stared at Jack. His hands shook a little as he finished buttoning up Jack's shirt correctly. He wanted to talk to Jack and tell him that he was wrong. That he would have come back eventually regardless. He couldn't do it, though. Jack as right he probably never would have made it back to him. How many companions over the years did he eventually leave behind or have them leave him. He never once looked back to see if they were alright when he should have. He should have let them know he had never forgotten about them. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, grateful that Jack couldn't see the tears in his eyes.

He moved so that he was sitting on the bed next to Jack. He pulled Jack into a hug, feeling relieved when Jack hugged him back tightly. Even if Jack thought he was going to leave him again, he still wanted him there. The truth was that the Doctor didn't want to leave Jack behind again, regardless of whether or not Jack could see or if he remained blind the rest of his life. He never had or would understand why Jack loved him more than he hated him, and perhaps it was time he stopped trying to. Releasing the hug, he pulled on Jack's hand trying to get him to stand. Jack didn't budge as he turned his hand so that his palm was facing upward.

The Doctor smiled placing his hand on Jacks. He then put Jack's other hand against his chest. He spelled the word Doctor, moving Jack's hand to his own chest he spelled Jack. He repeated it several times before moving on to other words. Jack seemed frustrated at some of the words as the Doctor slowly led him around the room to begin with. He would eventually sit down and teach Jack the alphabet, but right now he wanted Jack to understand what the different letters felt like as he said he found the sensation confusing. He was spelling the word desk to Jack when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," He called out, continuing to spell the word.

"I have to start work in a minute. I was wondering if you were going to come back before then?" Martha questioned.

"No. He agreed to learn so I am trying to teach him different items in the room so he gets a feel for it," The Doctor explained. He looked up at Martha. "I still need to work on his energy problems later, if you can spend time with him."

"That's fine. I am also going to see if I can come in later for the next few days so that we can get your sleeping pills sorted. Last time they made you groggy in the morning and I don't want you trying to make tea or coffee until you are actually awake," Martha teased him.

"How can I wake up fully without tea?" The Doctor asked sounding genuinely confused.

"I will make your tea and Jack's coffee. Just don't get use to it because as soon as you are sleeping normally again, you are making me coffee in the morning," Martha informed him. Trying to tease him again.

"Alright," The Doctor agreed. Martha went into the room, giving him a quick hug as the Doctor once again failed to realize the sarcasm as he focused on Jack. Martha wondered how long it would take for the Doctor to realize he needed Jack as much as Jack needed him.


	13. Chapter 13

The Doctor worked with Jack all morning trying to help him understand sign language. For the first few hours, they walked around the TARDIS and the Doctor spelled out different words to Jack, trying to get him use to the feeling and giving him something that he could compare the word to. They took frequent breaks as Jack was still recovering from his ordeal inside the cabin. The Doctor made sure that he watched Jack, having him sit whenever he seemed to become fatigued. Eventually, they both sat down on the captain's chair in the control room. The Doctor slowly went through the alphabet with Jack before having Jack try to copy the signs. The first time through he made the letter and then had Jack try to copy it, fixing his fingers as needed. They did that two more times before he had Jack keep going by himself. Jack managed to get to the letter f before he got frustrated. The Doctor went to fix his hand and Jack slapped his hand away.

"That's alright Jack, we'll try again later," The Doctor told him patiently. Realizing the time and that Jack was probably hungry, he stood up pulling Jack to his feet as well. Jack had no problem following him as the Doctor led Jack to the TARDIS kitchen. In the few hours since they had been moving around, Jack had grown confident that the Doctor wasn't going to lead him to danger or cause him to trip over something he couldn't see. The Doctor took Jack over to the table helping him find the chair. Jack sank down into it relieved to be off his feet once more.

He couldn't believe that he was actually thinking of taking a nap. He couldn't remember the last time that he slept for more than a few hours at night and here he was wanting to rest in the middle of the day. He knew that he was still recovering, but he wasn't use to not just bouncing back from an injury. Over the years, he had died and had been up again just moments later. Now he was healing like a human again, wishing he could get on with his life. Yet if he had healed normally, then the Doctor wouldn't still be here, so maybe healing slowly did have some benefits.

The Doctor put a cup of coffee into his hand, before making a simple lunch of beans on toast. It wasn't something either of them normally ate, but neither one complained as they dug in. As Jack ate he yawned several times. The Doctor realized that they had over did it this morning, yet Jack had said nothing. He still planned on leaving Jack with Martha so that he could work on Jack's energy problems. He wondered if Martha had a bed that Jack could sleep on in UNIT or if he should bring her back onto the TARDIS. Martha made the decision easy for him as she came back in as they were eating. She grabbed a plate of food for herself, sitting down at the table.

"So how did the morning go?" Martha wondered as she took a bite.

"He still doesn't understand what I am trying to tell him. We worked on the letters themselves until he got frustrated. Later on tonight I will try to work with him again," The Doctor answered her. "Right now he is tired and once he finishes eating he needs to lay down while I work on resolving his energy problem."

"I can sit with him for a little while so that you can work. I have a few patients I need to check on before I leave for the day. Then I am off until ten tomorrow so that you can sleep," Martha informed him. The Doctor made a face at her but didn't argue. After all, he had already agreed to take the sleeping pills. Finishing his lunch, he stood up taking his plate to the sink. Returning to the table he took Jack's hand in his, squeezing it softly. He then placed Jack's hand in Marthas.

"Doc, don't leave me. I didn't mean what I said earlier, please don't leave me behind again," Jack immediately began to panic. He reached for the Doctor knocking his coffee cup over in the process. Coffee dripped down from the table and onto his lap, but Jack didn't seem to notice as he kept searching for the Doctor.

"I'm right here Jack," The Doctor cooed softly as he caught Jack's hand in his own. With his other hand, he placed it against Jack's cheek, gently caressing it with his thumb. "I won't leave you. I promise." Jack, of course, didn't understand him and gripped his hand tighter. The Doctor sat down next to him, letting Jack calm down for a moment. Once Jack relaxed the Doctor pulled him to his feet.

"Change your mind?" Martha wondered as she watched the two of them, not able to keep her smile from showing.

"He can sleep in the medi-bay while I work," The Doctor informed Martha. He led Jack to the medi-bay and helped him to change his trousers before crawling into bed. Jack didn't make one comment towards the fact that the Doctor was removing his trousers, showing the Doctor just how insecure Jack was feeling. He tucked Jack in, then turned to his board to work. Jack slept for a few hours, but once he was up again, the Doctor focused on him. Together they worked on the alphabet and then the Doctor tried to get Jack to figure out different objects that were presented to him.

"Fork?" Jack guessed as the Doctor had the silverware to him. The Doctor took Jack's hand pressing it against his cheek as he nodded happily. He sat the fork down picked up the spoon and spelled the word for Jack. "Spoon," Jack answered immediately as he finally was starting to catch on. They paused briefly for dinner then started up again until Martha came in with the Doctor's pills.

"I don't want to sleep," The Doctor whined as he held Jack's hand a little tighter.

"I know, but you need to sleep Doc. Take your pills, have a cup of tea, then snuggle with Jack. I will be right here if I am needed tonight," Martha told him. She decanted the pills in his hand. He looked down at them, they brought them to his mouth, swallowing them down with a sip of tea. The pills took a little while to kick in so he followed Martha's instructions and finished his tea first before taking Jack with him to his bed. They changed and the Doctor signed the word bed on to Jack's hand.

"Now that I understood," Jack yawned. He climbed up on the Doctor's bed, settling down against the soft pillows. The scent of the Doctor filled his nostrils and he smiled knowing that he was in the Time Lord's room. He had always dreamed of sharing his bed. Despite the circumstances, he couldn't help but be happy to finally be in it. He felt the bed shift, then the Doctor's cool body pressing against his. The Doctor wrapped his arms around Jack, holding him as he closed his eyes. Jack snuggled as close as he could to the Doctor's chest, listening to his hearts as he drifted off to sleep. It wasn't long after that the pills forced the Doctor to join him.


	14. Chapter 14

The Doctor was awoken the next morning by a warm hand stroking the side of his head. He rolled away from the hand pulling the pillow close to his chest as he snuggled down deep into the blankets. He wasn't ready to wake up yet, he had been sleeping peacefully and desperately wanted to regain it. He kept his eyes closed and drifted off to sleep once more. He was awoken again a short time later by the feeling of a hand moving along the blanket. It stopped at the top as it patted his hair, then he felt the blanket being pulled away from his face. He scrunched his nose as he felt the cool air of the TARDIS against his cheek.

"Jack," he whined forgetting momentarily that Jack couldn't hear him. The blanket was pulled down further and he opened his eyes to glare at Jack. Jack was looking down at him with unseeing eyes as he continued to move the blanket. The Doctor reached up his hand lazily tapping Jack's temple.

"I'm sorry to wake you Doc, but I need help finding the loo," Jack told him. He sounded as embarrassed as he felt about having to wake the Doctor in order to use the loo. The Doctor sighed, even if he did feel annoyed that he was woken, he couldn't be mad that Jack needed help. Abandoning the warmth of the bed, he threw the blankets back and got out of bed. He swayed slightly as he got to his feet. He quickly placed a hand back down on his bed to steady himself.

"Martha," he called out as he tried again to straighten. He really hated the after-effects of the sleeping medicine, especially because he was up early. He tried to figure out what time it was, but it seemed hazy to him. "Martha," he cried out again as the door failed to open right away. He sat back down on the bed.

"Are you alright Doc?" Jack wondered in concern as he felt the bed shift. The Doctor took his hand, placing it to his face as he nodded. He leaned his head against Jack's hand closing his eyes as he fought to stay awake. He lifted his head as the door finally opened and Martha came in. She was wearing a robe that she had tied around her waist and her feet were bare despite the coolness of the TARDIS.

"What are you doing up? It is three in the morning, you should be sleeping," Martha chastised him softly as she came into the room. She had been sleeping peacefully until the TARDIS turned on the lights in her room and hummed at her to let her know she was needed.

"Jack needs to use the loo," The Doctor explained as he continued to use Jack's hand as a pillow.

"I will help Jack to the toilet, but you need to lay back down," Martha told him. She reached out taking Jack's other hand in hers. His brow furrowed in confusion that she was still on the TARDIS.

"Martha what are you doing here?" Jack asked as he got to his feet. The Doctor lifted his head off of Jack's hand and spelled the word, "loo" into it. Jack rolled his eyes. He couldn't tell what the Doctor spelled by the feeling, but he figured it out based on the fact it was a three letter word with repeating letters."I understand that she is going to help me to the toilet. I mean what is she doing here in the middle of the night?"

The Doctor tapped his temple again and this time Jack opened his mind to him. Rather than their normal connection where he could see the Doctor, he could barely feel the Doctor's mind against his.

"Are you alright?" Jack wondered as he tried to strengthen the connection but couldn't.

"Fine. I had to take pills to help me sleep. Martha is here in case you need her and to make us coffee in the morning," The Doctor explained, too tired to care that he didn't want Jack to know about the pills. He just wanted Jack to go to the toilet so that he could curl beneath the blankets against Jack and sleep.

"Why are you taking pills to sleep?" Jack asked in concern. The Doctor sighed. At best he had poor telepathy for a Time Lord. He had been ridiculed by his teachers and peers for it at the academy for his abysmal skills. He was used as an example of why all Time Lords should be loomed and not born as his parents chose to do. Half awake he was even worse. It made it hard to maintain the connection and he was sick of trying.

"Nightmares. I will explain in the morning. Now go use the loo so we can go back to sleep," The Doctor told him as he broke the connection. He laid back down, wrapping himself around his pillow as he yawned.

"Come on, Jack," Martha cooed as she tugged gently on his hand. Jack stood allowing Martha to lead him to the toilet. The Doctor waited as he heard it flush a moment later, followed by the sound of running water as Jack washed his hands. Martha led Jack back to the bed, helping him to find his side of it.

"Can I have a drink of water?" Jack asked Martha as he pulled the blanket up. Martha took his hand placing it against her cheek as she nodded. She let his hand go, then left the room to get his water. Jack settled down beneath the blankets, pulling on them slightly as he tried to get comfortable. Once he had gone still, the Doctor rolled over wrapping his arm around Jack as he buried his head against his chest. He didn't hear Martha come back as he let himself fall back asleep safe in Jack's arms.

The next time he was woken up, it was to the smell of a hot cup of tea. He breathed in deeply as he figured out it was after eight in the morning. Opening his eyes, he found himself alone on his bed. Martha was standing next to the bed with his favorite cup in hand. He reached out for it and she pulled it back slightly out of his reach.

"I'm not going to hand this to you until you are sitting up, so you don't spill it all over yourself," Martha informed him. He huffed as he rolled over onto his back, then pushed himself to sit up.

"Where's Jack," He wondered, surprised that he didn't see him in the room.

"He has been awake for over an hour and is currently in the kitchen making his way through a large bowl of oatmeal. He is worried that you haven't woke up yet, so I came into check on you," Martha informed the Doctor.

"I will go let him know I am fine," The Doctor told her. He started to move so that he could get to his feet, but Martha placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. He looked at her confused as she sat down on the bed so that they were nearly eye level.

"Jack will be alright alone for a minute. I want you to sit here and finish drinking your tea before you try to make your way to the kitchen. I also want you to know that if you ever want to talk I am here because even if you don't want to admit it, we both know you're not fine. "Martha stared him in the eyes as she spoke and he found himself looking away from her. She was right of course he wasn't fine. He had to be, though, for Jack's sake.


	15. Chapter 15

Jack sat in the kitchen eating. He had one hand on the bowl of oatmeal as he held the spoon in the other. It was still strange not being able to see what he was eating or to hear the sound of the spoon clanking against the bowl. In fact not being able to hear anything made him realize how many sounds that he heard daily but didn't pay attention to. It was strange being in absolute silence and darkness that nothing could penetrate except for on the rare occasion that the Doctor spoke to him. Thinking about the Doctor, brought back the feeling of worry that he had for the Time Lord. He had asked Martha to go and check on him after the Doctor still hadn't shown up for breakfast. Nightmares he could understand. In fact, he could even understand having to take pills to go to sleep because of them. It was the fact that the Time Lord couldn't connect properly to his mind last night that worried him.

Setting down the spoon, he felt across the table for his coffee cup. He found it as he knocked his hand against it, tipping it over. Hot coffee spilled across the table dripping down onto his trousers. He swore as he jumped up. He tried to get away from the spill, but he knocked his foot against something. He didn't know what to try to grab onto as he fell forward. He swore loudly as his wrist bent back as he tried to brace himself from his fall.

"Martha? Doctor?" He called out. There was no reply. Of course there wasn't. He laid there for a moment taking a deep breath. He felt frustrated and useless like he couldn't accomplish anything without help, but if there was one thing he had learned in these two thousand years, it was that there was always a way. Taking another breath, he rolled over pushing himself to sit up. Pain shot through his wrist. He ignored it as he tried to get his bearings. Warm air blew over him and he smiled.

"How could I forget about you?" Jack flirted with the TARDIS as he ran his hand along the ground. "Will you help me find the Doctor and Martha?" He felt another gust of warm air. Reaching out with his good arm, he felt slowly along until he found one of the chairs. He used it to get to his feet. He then kept his hand out in front of him as he shuffled his feet moving slowly towards the warm air. He made it to what he assumed was the doorway to the corridors and stepped through. The TARDIS blew warm air at him and he turned towards it as he once again started to move slowly.

-DW-

"I am fine, Martha," The Doctor responded, not believing the words even as he said them. If he was fine, he wouldn't be counting the children again. Nor would he be worried about what was going to happen after Jack left. He needed to find someone new to stop him, but he wasn't going to risk anyone else in the TARDIS. He really didn't want to put Jack in danger either. Jack though could handle himself. He finished his tea off with a noisy slurp. He set the empty cup on the table throwing the blankets back.

"Martha? Doctor?" He heard Jack call out his voice just down the hall. The Doctor rushed to the doorway, stepping out in the corridor. He could see Jack had one hand out, feeling along the wall as he moved slowly forward. The Doctor hurried over to him, reaching out to take Jack's other hand. As he did Jack cried out in pain jerking back from him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," The Doctor apologized, realizing he hurt Jack but not sure how.

"I fell and bent my wrist back," Jack explained as the Doctor reached out taking Jack's other hand in his.

"Do you want help?" Martha asked overhearing their conversation. The Doctor turned to look at her.

"Nah, I am sure he just bruised it. I can take care of him," The Doctor replied.

"Then I am going to get ready for work. I will be in my room if you need me," Martha informed him. The Doctor watched her head into her room aboard the TARDIS before turning his full attention back to Jack. Regardless of whether or not he would admit it to Martha he was worried that Jack had hurt himself. Holding his hand tightly, he led him to the medi-bay. He took Jack over to one of the beds, supporting Jack as he climbed up on it. He looked at Jack closely. He could see a red mark on Jack's head and his trousers were slightly damp. The Doctor could smell the coffee on Jack as well as oatmeal on his breath. Concerned, the Doctor then gently took Jack's hand in his lifting it so he could look at Jack's hand. The Doctor gently ran his fingers along his skin. Jack could feel his body starting to react to the Doctor's touch and he prayed silently he didn't get hard from it. Thankfully the Doctor remained oblivious to Jack's response as he continued to feel along his arm. He found no other tender spots, but Jack cried out again as he gently tried to flex his wrist. Releasing Jack's arm, he placed his fingers to Jack's temples. Jack immediately opened his mind to the Doctor.

"I don't think you broke anything, but I am going to run an x-ray on your wrist to be sure," The Doctor explained as their minds connected. He felt Jack trying to strengthen the connection and he gave in, allowing their minds to connect fully. He closed his eyes and opened them into Jack's bar.

"What happened last night?" Jack wondered as he rushed over, embracing him.

"What do you mean?" The Doctor questioned, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"I tried to connect with you last night and I could barely hear you or feel your mind," Jack told him in concern.

"I told you I took pills to sleep. They make it hard for me to focus and being woke up at three am so that you could use the loo didn't help matters any," The Doctor informed him slightly grumpy. Jack narrowed his eyes at him.

"I'm sorry, next time I will just wet the bed like a child. Or I will just to find my own way," Jack snipped at him. He tried to push the Doctor away, but the Doctor stopped him.

"I didn't mean it like that. Martha is going to be staying for the next couple of nights to help you if you need her until I can sleep normally again," The Doctor explained.

"You promised you would explain in the morning," Jack reminded him. The Doctor smiled, he leaned forward kissing Jack on the forehead.

"Let me make sure your wrist is alright, then I will explain everything," The Doctor promised him. Jack nodded and the Doctor released the connection with him. Gently he pushed against Jack's chest, guiding him to lay down on the bed. Jack complied leaning back until his head rested against the pillow. The Doctor took his arm, placing it on another pillow so that it was propped up for the TARDIS to scan. He stepped back, crossing his arms as he waited for the scanning to be completed. He was being a coward and avoiding Jack's question because he was afraid. He was afraid that if he started talking about the children, he would be forced to count them again. Even thinking about them brought images to his mind, images that he forced back into the room he had built in his mind, locking them away. But for how long?

The TARDIS hummed at him, looking at the monitor he was surprised to see that Jack had sprained his wrist when he fell. Normally Jack was like him and didn't get hurt easily. Yet somehow he had managed to tear one of the ligaments in his wrist. The Doctor left him alone for a moment to get a bandage to wrap around Jack's wrist as well as an ice pack. Going back to Jack he tapped his fingers against Jack's temples again.

"So, what is the diagnosis?" Jack wondered as their minds joined.

"You sprained your wrist when you fell, tearing the ligament. I am going to wrap it and apply ice, but you are going to have to take it easy until it heals," The Doctor informed Jack. Jack looked at him as though he were waiting for the Doctor to admit he was joking. When that didn't happen, Jack narrowed his eyes.

"That could take weeks unless you figure out how to fix my energy problem," Jack replied.

"I'm working on it," The Doctor told him as he broke the connection. He took Jack's hand in his once more. As carefully as possible he wrapped the bandage around Jack's wrist, looping it around his wrist to hold it in place. He then laid it back on the pillow placing the ice pack over on it to help reduce the swelling. Jack laid there feeling sorry for himself as the Doctor turned once more to the calculations on the board. He needed to figure out how to help Jack. The problem with Jack's energy was worse than he originally assessed and now he was afraid he was going to lose his friend. If Jack died he feared that he may not be able to bring him back right away and the Doctor couldn't lose him. Not for any length of time. Selfish or not, Jack was his forever, even if he couldn't be Jacks.


	16. Chapter 16

Jack lay in the darkness feeling sorry for himself. His wrist ached and he wondered if the Doctor had any painkillers that might take the edge off. Painkillers didn't last long in his immortal body usually, but now that he was almost human again, maybe they would. He didn't deserve painkillers, though. He was the idiot who got himself captured for falling for a cute boy. He should have seen through Alex from the beginning, but he had allowed Alex to trick him and for what? He sighed rolling over so that he was on his side with his arm still up on the pillow. He didn't know, nor did he care where the Doctor was or if he was supposed to be moving at all. He just wanted to be alone for a little while.

Except he didn't. He had been so alone since first becoming immortal and if he was honest with himself, he had been alone ever since he let go of Gray's hand on the beach. His father had died that day along with so many others that he knew. His mother was never the same after that and he spent many days staring up at the stars wishing he could leave. When the Time Agency came to the peninsula, tracking a rogue alien, he begged them to let him join. It would be the biggest mistake he had made since letting go of Gray's hand, but given the chance he would make it again. It had allowed him to see the stars and meet the Doctor.

He moved, pain shooting through his wrist as he did causing him to wince. He felt weak for wincing, but he was tired. He just wanted to slip into the oblivion sleep would bring him. In his dreams, he would be able to see and hear what was going on around him. He could travel to a distant bar or hold Ianto in his arms once more. He would tell the Welshman that he loved him and kiss him softly on his pale lips. A tear rolled down his cheek and he lifted his hand wiping it away. He jumped in surprise as another hand laid down on his shoulder squeezing it softly.

"I just want to sleep Doc," He told him. He felt the hand leave. A moment later the hand took his and he felt a long cylinder press into it. It narrowed out at the top with a longer thinner piece. "Is that a painkiller?" The object was removed and he felt the Doctor's hand against his pressing three letters to his palm. Y-E-S. It was hard for him to make it out, but he actually found himself understanding the letters more and for some reason it angered him. He didn't want to accept this life in the dark, he wanted his life back. "Just give me the damn injection," He snapped at the Doctor.

He felt something cold on his arm followed by the sharp prick of the needle pressing in. It didn't take long for the medication to start to work and the pain in his wrist dulled to almost nothing. The Doctor sat down on the bed, rubbing his arm gently trying to comfort him as tears filled his eyes again. He didn't want the comfort, though. He shrugged the Doctor off of him, turning his back to where he now knew the Doctor was. He felt the bed shift again as the Doctor stood up. The Doctor replaced the pillow to support his wrist. The Doctor had to have seen the tears that were now running freely down his face, but he didn't wipe them away. Jack thought the Doctor was going to listen to him and leave him alone until he felt the bed shift again. He fought as the Doctor wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly.

"Leave me alone," he cried out as he fought against him. The Doctor didn't listen as he continued to hold on. Jack squirmed, cried out and tried to get away until he let himself collapse against the cool body holding him. He gripped the Doctor's shirt tightly as he cried for everything and everybody that he had lost over the years. Finally, he could cry no more and just lay there against the man who would eventually leave him again. Yet he could shed no more tears for the Doctor.

-DW-

The Doctor kept one eye on Jack as he worked on Jack's energy problem. It was obvious Jack was sulking. The Doctor had seen the same look on his own face many times over the years and for the moment he let Jack. He heard the bed rustle and turned to see that Jack had rolled onto his side. As he did, he winced in pain from his sprained wrist. The Doctor moved closer to him realizing that he should have offered Jack painkillers sooner. Jack hadn't complained about the pain, so the Doctor didn't think about it. As he approached Jack he saw that a tear was rolling down Jack's cheek. He reached out to wipe it away, but Jack beat him to it, so instead he laid his hand on Jack's shoulder.

"I promise everything is going to be alright," the Doctor informed him as Jack jumped from his touch. He squeezed Jack's shoulder trying in vain to comfort him.

"I just want to sleep, Doc," Jack moaned. Releasing Jack's arm he went over to the medicine cabinet. It didn't take him long to find a painkiller for him. He filled the syringe with it returning to Jack's side. Taking Jack's hand in his he laid the syringe against his palm so that he could feel it. "Is that a painkiller?" Jack questioned.

"Yes," The Doctor told him. He moved the syringe, pocketing it for a moment as he spelled out the word on Jack's palm. He smiled seeing comprehension on Jack's face as he understood the word. Jack was learning and soon he could teach him braille as well so that he could read while he figured out a solution to Jack's energy problem. Jack's comprehension quickly turned to anger, though.

"Just give me the damn injection," he spat. The Doctor sighed. He would work with Jack again later, hopefully when he wasn't feeling sorry for himself. Though, the Doctor had the feeling that would be Jack's normal mood for awhile. Pulling out the syringe again, he also pulled out an antiseptic wipe. He cleaned a place on Jack's arm then uncapped the needle.

"Sharp prick," He warned as he pressed the needle into Jack's bicep. He emptied the syringe then pulled it out. Placing the cap back on he threw it into a drawer for the TARDIS to dispose of. He then sat down on the bed trying to comfort Jack as he waited for the medication to work. Jack shrugged him off, rolling over to face the opposite wall.

"I know you really don't want to be alone," The Doctor told him as he stood up. He picked up the pillow bringing it around the bed. "You don't have to be alone anymore Jack. We can be here for each other." He laid the pillow down, carefully placing Jack's arm on it. He didn't think about it as he toed his shoes off climbing up on the bed again. He laid down wrapping his arms around Jack as Jack tried to fight him off.

"Leave me alone," Jack screamed at him.

"I can't," The Doctor replied continuing to hold him. Jack continued to squirm almost breaking free. In the end, though, he gave up collapsing against the Doctor as sobs shook his body. The Doctor continued to hold him running his hand along Jack's back. "That's right just let it all out. You don't have to be alone Jack. I am so sorry I abandoned you before but I am right here with you and I am not leaving you again. I promise I will help you then we will travel the stars together," He whispered saying things that he would never have told Jack if he could see or hear him. Knowing Jack couldn't made it easier to express his feelings for the immortal who had saved him.

Eventually, Jack went quiet in his arms, holding on to him like a lost child. The Doctor held him back whispering over and over again that he was sorry for everything that had happened to Jack. He was just thankful that Jack couldn't see his own tears as they ran freely down his cheeks. He just continued to lay there until Jack's breathing evened out. Once he was sure that Jack was asleep, he carefully got out of bed, heading to the shower. He needed to clean up and then have a cup of tea before Martha returned from her shift at UNIT. He couldn't let her find him broken as well because he had to be strong for Jack.


	17. Chapter 17

Jack woke up as he felt the bed shift and the Doctor's cool body move away from his. He lay still not giving away that he was awake as he waited. He couldn't tell where the Doctor was or where he was going, so instead he counted slowly in his head while he waited patiently, hoping the Doctor was leaving the medi-bay. He was sick of this. He was sick of not being able to see or hear, of being completely reliant on Martha and the Doctor to take care of him. Now his wrist was hurt on top of everything else, and that would further reduce him getting his life back. The Doctor had already told him that if he died, it wouldn't fix his energy problem, but it could fix the wounds he already had.

"Doctor," He called out once he got to sixty. He waited for the Doctor to show up as he slowly counted to sixty again. When no one took his hand after he was done counting he safely assumed he was alone in the medi-bay. Carefully, so he didn't trip, he got up out of the bed. He didn't know what he was looking for exactly, but he was in the medi-bay. There had to be something that he could use to kill himself with. Shuffling his feet, with his hand outstretched he moved as quickly as he dared. He reached the wall and then turned so that he was following it. Keeping one hand on the wall he walked a little quicker as he still held his other hand out to feel for objects in front of him. He couldn't help the swear word that escaped his lips as he kicked an object that was lower than his outstretched hand. Moving his hand downward, he kept going until he felt a solid object.

He felt along the smooth surface correctly assuming that it was the desk that set to the side of the medi-bay. He felt his way across the front of it. There was nothing he wanted in the desk, but he knew from prior experience that the medicine cabinet was kept near the desk. He found it with ease and paused before trying to open it. There were a variety of pills that the Doctor kept in the cabinet, everything from simple vitamins to pills that only the Time Lord could take. If he took the wrong pill he might not kill himself, but could make himself very sick. The last thing he wanted was to rush to the loo every five minutes. Deciding against taking a pill, he dropped his hand from the cabinet and continued on his way.

He didn't have to go much further before he felt a doorway. It took him longer to find the door handle and he hurried into it, closing the door quickly behind him out of fear he as going to be caught before he could finish his task. He breathed heavily, listening for footsteps approaching the door. After a moment, he realized what he was doing. He felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment as he moved slowly away from the door. He shuffled forward, not sure where he was. He couldn't remember if the door led to one of the various labs or to the Doctor's storage cabinet. Knowing the TARDIS, it could have also led out into the corridors, as she tended to change the doors randomly.

Relief filled him as he knocked his foot against another low object. He reached down to the desk once more. He didn't move as he felt along it looking for anything that was sharp. His hand brushed against something smooth and he picked it up. Using his other hand, he felt around it trying to determine what it was. He couldn't decide, though. Reaching back down to the desk, he held the object tightly in his other hand, swing it downward. He let his hand make it to his side before lifting it up again. He smiled as he reached out with his other hand feeling a sharp prick against his finger. Bringing it to his mouth, he tasted the blood that the glass had drawn.

Taking a deep breath, he slid down to the floor with the glass still in his hand. He brought his hand up, pushing the glass against his throat as he gritted his teeth in pain. His hand slipped a little as it became wet with his blood, but he didn't stop. He pushed it in a little further. He jumped in surprise as he felt a hand grab his wrist, yanking it back from his throat. The glass was pulled from his hand.

"Just let me die," he screamed. "I will come back, but please Doctor just let me die. I can't live like this." He fought as he felt the Doctor's arm wrap around him, lifting him off the floor. He swung, hitting the Doctor in the side of the head. The Doctor stumbled a little but refused to drop him. He swung again and again, hitting the Doctor, trying to stop him from saving him. The Doctor somehow made it to the bed, though. Jack felt himself being dropped on it, then a sharp prick in his arm. He felt his senses fading as a soft cloth was pressed against his neck.

"I just want to die," He mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.

-DW-

The Doctor took his time in the shower. He made sure to wash his face well, not wanting Martha to see the tears that covered it. He dried off, dressing in his pajamas before making his way to the kitchen. He was slightly surprised to see that Martha was already in there making herself a cup of tea. She looked up at him, her brow narrowing in confusion.

"Where's Jack?" She asked as the Doctor entered alone.

"He is in the medi-bay sleeping," The Doctor replied.

"No, he isn't I just looked in there and the medi-bay was empty," Martha told him. The Doctor didn't hesitate as he turned, running out into the corridor. He sent a telepathic message to the TARDIS and she responded that Jack was in the lab. It could have been a simple mistake but the TARDIS dashed those hopes as she told him Jack had glass in his hand. Swearing in Gallifreyan he ran faster. He didn't care whether or not Martha was behind him as he hurried to Jack. He ran across the Medi-bay. He opened the door to the lab slowly, not wanting to hit Jack with it if he was standing on the other side.

"Oh, Jack," He whispered as he took in the sight in front of him. Jack was sitting on the floor with a broken glass vial in his hand. The sharp part of the vial was digging into his neck as blood poured down his hand and onto his shirt. The Doctor bent down, grabbing Jack's hand and pulling it back from his neck. With the glass out of it, the blood flowed freely. The Doctor pulled the glass out of his hand, dropping it on the ground.

"Just let me die," Jack screamed at him. "I will come back, but please Doctor just let me die. I can't live like this."

"Get him to the bed," Martha told the Doctor as she caught up and took in what was happening. She disappeared to grab anesthetic for Jack and the suture kit to stitch the wound on his neck. The Doctor leaned down scooping Jack up in his arms to take him to the bed. Jack responded by hitting him in the head with his fist. Thankfully the blow wasn't hard due to the angle, but it still caused the Doctor to stumble a bit.

"Get a sedative as well," The Doctor told her. Martha listened, grabbing a sedative out of the cupboard before hurrying to the bed. She watched as the Doctor continued forward with Jack in his arms even as Jack hit him over and over again. The Doctor stumbled slightly towards the end, dropping Jack rather hard on the bed. Martha didn't hesitate as she filled a syringe with the sedative and pressed it into his arm.

"Get back Martha," The Doctor demanded, not wanting Jack to hurt her. Martha finished emptying the syringe, then got out of the way. She wanted to treat Jack, but she had promised the Doctor back in the beginning that she would listen if he told her to get back. The Doctor swayed slightly as he stood up straight again. His head was pounding and he felt dizzy from being hit over and over again. That didn't stop him from trying to help Jack though. Grabbing a clean cloth he pressed it against Jack's neck as his movements became sluggish.

"I just want to die," Jack whimpered as he drifted off to sleep.

"I can't let you," The Doctor whispered. With Jack properly out, he stumbled backward, allowing himself to lay on the next bed. While he wanted to help Martha stitch Jack's neck he knew he couldn't with how dizzy he was feeling.

"Are you alright Doctor?" Martha questioned as she focused on Jack. She moved the cloth back, finding the cut was jagged and deep due to the glass. It began to bleed immediately again. She replaced the cloth adding more pressure. "Come on Doctor, talk to me."

"My head hurts," He informed her.

"I can imagine. You took a few good blows there from Jack. Why don't you have the TARDIS run a scan just so we know what we are dealing with while I take care of him," Martha suggested. She released the pressure on the cloth, before picking up her suture kit. It would be easier if she had a team of doctors to help her and while they were nearby, she couldn't take the time to go and get them. Nor could she move Jack.

"Okay," The Doctor agreed. He sent the message to the TARDIS, then laid there watching Martha as she did the scans.

"I know your head is hurting, but I have to ask. Did something happen today?" Martha questioned. She glanced at the Doctor quickly.

"He felt alone and cried. I thought he was asleep or I would have never left him alone. I should have been watching him," The Doctor blamed himself.

"You didn't know he would try to kill himself. You can't watch him all the time by yourself. You need to be able to use the loo and sleep as well. We will take turns from now on so that he doesn't get the opportunity again," Martha told him. The screen beeped at her. She finished Jack's stitches, then turned to review the Doctor's scans. While the Doctor had a headache, Jack didn't do any damage to him. She taped a bandage in place on Jack's neck before heading to the medicine cabinet once more. Once there she grabbed a few Time Lord friendly pain pills. Bringing them back to the Doctor she had him take them.

"Rest now. Jack will be out for a few hours with the sedative, so you don't need to worry about him. Just rest and let the painkillers work," Martha cooed softly. He took them with a small glass of water, then settled back closing his eyes.

"Wake me, when he is up," He told her.

"I will," Martha replied. He could tell she was lying, but he didn't care as he lay there waiting for the headache to disappear.


	18. Chapter 18

The Doctor woke up with his head still hurting. The pain had dulled to the point that it was just a dull ache that reminded him that he had been hit trying to save Jack's life. Opening his eyes a crack, he was greeted by the glaring lights of the medi-bay and quickly closed them again as the pain in his head grew. He sent a telepathic message to the TARDIS and when he dared to open his eyes again, the lights were dimmed above his bed. Sitting up, he turned to look at Jack, who was still sleeping soundly in the next bed over. Martha had changed Jack into a pair of light blue pajamas and cleaned the blood off of him. Only the bandage on his neck indicated that something happened. Well, that and the fact that restraints were now attached to Jack's bed.

"How are you feeling?" Martha asked softly from where she was sitting. The Doctor didn't answer her right away as he followed the restraints down to Jack's wrist. While they were actually attached, it still upset the Doctor to see that Martha was planning on using them.

"My head still aches. Would you mind making me a cup of tea to help clear the synapsis?" The Doctor questioned her. She hesitated before standing up. "I can keep an eye on Jack."

"I will be right back," Martha responded standing up. As she left the medi-bay, the Doctor got out of bed going over to Jack. As he approached the bed, the TARDIS automatically dimmed the lights for him. He sent a silent thank you, feeling her hum through him in reply.

"I promise I won't let her restrain you. You're already feeling trapped enough by not being able to see or hear without having these clasped around your wrist as your forced to lay on this bed," The Doctor whispered as he unhooked the restraints, throwing them aside. With them gone he fixed Jack's blanket, then climbed up on the bed with him. Leaning over, he carefully peeled back the bandages on his neck to see the damage. The Doctor counted seven stitches holding the jagged wound closed. It was already tinged red around the edges. Jack normally didn't have to worry about infections but with his energy off, the Doctor couldn't be sure. He was going to keep an eye on him and start him on antibiotics if necessary. Hearing footsteps approaching, he peeled the bandage the rest of the way back.

"He needs a new bandage," The Doctor informed Martha without looking up. She detoured briefly to get a fresh bandage, before coming over to them. Handing him, his tea she placed the new bandage on Jack's neck.

"What did you do with the restraints?" She wondered, taping the bandage into place.

"He doesn't need them. He needs us to help him not feel alone. The last thing we want to do is isolate him by restraining him to the bed," The Doctor answered. He held the tea in one hand, as he reached up to Jack's head with the other. Slowly he caressed the side of Jack's head, brushing the hair behind his ear.

"And if he becomes violent again?" Martha questioned.

"Then you will get back until I can calm him down," The Doctor responded immediately.

"Doctor, I don't really think that is what is best for him or you. What if..." Martha started. He glanced up at Martha quickly with all the fury of the Oncoming Storm, before returning his full attention to Jack.

"I can handle him," The Doctor insured her. Martha sighed, realizing that she was on the losing end of the argument because the Doctor didn't want to listen to her reason. He had already come to his own conclusion of how he wanted to handle Jack and nothing she said was going to change that. She just had to hope that he was right and he could handle Jack, or somebody could end up hurt.

"I hope you are right. The sedative should have already worn off, so he will wake when he is ready," Martha informed the Doctor. "While you were sleeping I took a blood sample from him and I am going to go and test it to see if there is anything else we can do to help him. Call me if you need me."

"I will," The Doctor told her, even if he had no plans to. He continued stroking the side of Jack's head as he waited for Jack to wake up. It was another hour before he showed any signs that he was coming around, though. Then it was only by a slight change in his breathing that the Doctor realized that he was waking up. He kept up the gentle movement, until Jack's eyes opened, staring unseeing up at him.

"Oh, Jack," The Doctor whispered, seeing the pain in his blue eyes. He reached up, knocking the Doctor's hand away from his head. The Doctor returned it, putting both hands this time to Jack's temples. "Let me in."

"Why couldn't you just let me die?" Jack questioned as he knocked the Doctor's hands away again. He turned his head to face away from the Doctor. The Doctor wasn't deterred by Jack pushing him away and put his fingers back to Jack's temples. Jack lashed out, swinging at him. The Doctor was ready for it, moving back away from Jack before his fist could connect. As soon as Jack calmed down again, he once more placed his fingers to Jack's temples. Jack sighed loudly. "You have five minutes," He responded as he opened his mind.

The red grass seemed to stretch on for miles all around him. To the left the field ran into the tree line. The silver tipped trees swayed lightly in the breeze. Their leaves catching the light from the twin suns, making the forest seem as though it were ablaze. Despite the two suns, the planet felt cool and Jack pulled his coat a little tighter to his body.

"I was just a child the first time I tried to take my own life," The Doctor admitted to him. Turning around Jack saw the Doctor leaning against an old barn watching him. "Ever since the day I was born, I was different from the other Time Lords. I never understood their contentment to just stand back and watch as the rest of the universe went on around them. As far back as I can remember, I would lay in this barn at night and look up at the stars, dreaming of the day I could run among them. It was also in this barn that I tried to take my own life."

"How?" Jack questioned as he stood his ground. He wasn't ready to move closer, not yet.

"The first time, I tried to hang myself from the rafters. My mother came out to the barn to check on me and found me hanging there. It was only because of her that I didn't regenerate. The second time, though, I don't know how I lived. I left the TARDIS miles away as I walked here for the final time. I had every intention of dying in this barn with the rest of the planet. I woke up aboard the TARDIS with a new face and alone in the universe. My people and my planet were gone, leaving me to carry on alone," The Doctor explained.

"I'm sorry Doc," Jack responded not sure what else to say.

"I didn't show you this for sympathy Jack. I showed you because I understand what it feels like to be so alone that you just want it to end. Killing yourself isn't the answer, though," The Doctor told him.

"I just want to be able to see and hear again. The quiet and the darkness is overwhelming and despite you trying to teach me sign language, nothing pierces it," Jack informed him.

"Dying won't help your eyes or your ears to repair themselves. The energy in your body is off. If you die now, there is no way to know what repairs will happen to your body if any. You could die and I may not be able to revive you. I know it is hard, but I need you to be patient for just a little while longer while I look for a cure," The Doctor practically begged him.

"Why should I?" Jack questioned him. From what it sounded like, dying now was the perfect answer to his immortality. He may finally be able to stay dead.

"Because I don't want to be alone either," The Doctor snipped.

"You won't be alone long. There is Martha and you always have a companion who is willing to travel with you," Jack argued him.

"It is too dangerous to bring someone else. Besides, I don't want another companion. I want you," The Doctor replied. Realizing what he said, he looked down. He had meant to say travel with you, but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Jack walked over to him, lifting his chin with his hand so that he could look the Doctor in the eyes. Leaning forward he gave the Doctor a quick, gentle kiss. The Doctor didn't return it, standing there stiffly as he stared at Jack wide-eyed.

"I love you, Doc. We both know that you have never felt that way about me," Jack told him. He released the Doctor's chin then stepped back. Reaching up, he rubbed his neck where the bandages would be. He sighed again. "How long do you think it will take you?"

"I don't know. I am working on it Jack, but you are unique in the universe and so I have no references in order to fix it quickly. I promise you I will find a way, though," The Doctor responded.

"And what if you don't?" Jack questioned.

"I will," The Doctor replied immediately. "Jack please trust me. I will find a way to fix your energy problem. Just promise me you won't try this again," The Doctor told him, moving his hand to Jack's neck.

"I promise," Jack whispered. The Doctor started to release the connection, but Jack held firm to it. "Please don't leave me."

"I won't. I am going to be right here next to you," The Doctor promised. Jack allowed him to break the connection. He didn't move his hands right away as he leaned down kissing Jack on the forehead. Moving his hands down to hold Jack, Jack turned on his side snuggling into the Doctor. The Doctor lay there holding him close as Jack drifted off to sleep again. The Doctor continued to lay there after, just wanting to feel Jack's warm body against his own. Despite Jack's promise he was still worried Jack would try again, at least in his arms, for the moment he knew Jack was safe.


	19. Chapter 19

The Doctor refused to take his sleeping pills that night, not wanting for Jack not to be able to wake him if he was needed. Jack, though, slept the entire night through as the Doctor lay awake trying to figure out how to help him. He was a genius after all and he should have been able to come up with a simple formula that would allow him to help Jack. He could think his way out of any situation, regardless of how hopeless it seemed in mere seconds if necessary. He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated at how thick he was being. Laying here wasn't going to solve the problem. He carefully tried to untangle himself from Jack's arms only to have Jack grab onto him tighter.

"Don't leave me," Jack whimpered as he woke up.

"I'm not," The Doctor promised. Getting out of bed, he took Jack's hand and helped him to sit up. He examined Jack's wrist and neck before helping Jack get out of bed. From there he began their day like normal. Together the two of them went to the bathroom, where Jack used the loo. He was unable to shower with his bandages so the Doctor helped him to clean up, shave and dress before doing the same. He tried not to treat Jack any differently than normal while keeping a close eye on him at the same time. He wasn't going to let Jack try to commit suicide again and moved sharp objects away from Jack. Even in the kitchen that morning, as they ate breakfast, he made sure that it was food that didn't require a knife.

"Are you planning on sleeping tonight, or should I just go back to my normal work schedule?" Martha asked him slightly irritated as she entered the kitchen that morning. She had stayed aboard the TARDIS again to care for Jack, yet every time she had walked by the medi-bay, the Doctor had been awake. Eventually, she gave up and considered going home. By then it was after one in the morning, so instead she stayed.

"I can't sleep until Jack is better. I can't leave him alone again," The Doctor told her.

"You also can't wear yourself out trying to care for him or you will be no help to him," Martha argued. The Doctor sighed. "I know you are tired of hearing it. Doctor, but you also know I am right. You told me that you don't know how long it is going to take to solve the problem with his Autron energy. What if it takes you years? Are you going to stop running the entire time and settle down to take care of him?"

"I don't know," The Doctor answered her frustrated. He knew that she wasn't trying to be mean, yet he couldn't help getting angry at her. It was because of him that Jack was immortal and he owed it to Jack to take care of him. There was no one else in the universe who understand Jack's uniqueness the way he did. Also, besides Martha, there was no one else in the universe that he would trust to take care of Jack properly. He paused with his cup of tea almost to his lips as he realized that there might actually be someone else who could help him. She knew things about him that no one else did. It was possible that she also knew how to help Jack.

"What is it, Doctor?" Martha asked in concern as he slowly lowered his cup back to the table.

"I am so thick. She would know, of course, she would know. She knew about Donna," He said mainly to himself.

"Doctor, you're not making any sense," Martha informed him. The Doctor looked up at her, his brow furrowed.

"I am making perfect sense. You're just not keeping up. I have been at UNIT for too long. Staying here is not going to help Jack. If I want to help him, I have to move the TARDIS," He told Martha vaguely as he stood up. Taking Jack's hand, he tugged lightly indicating he wanted Jack to stand up.

"Where are you going to take him?" Martha questioned as Jack got to his feet. The Doctor didn't answer as he pulled Jack with him towards the control room.

"Doctor, please slow down a little," Jack begged him as his arm felt like it was going to be wrenched out of its socket with the way the Doctor was pulling. He already had one bad arm, he didn't need a second one to go with it. The Doctor slowed his pace down, forcing himself to walk next to Jack rather than pulling him.

"To someone that can help," The Doctor answered Martha as they reached the control room. He led Jack straight to the captain's chair and had him sit down on it. Jack held his hand out, expecting the Doctor to start teaching him like he had the day before. The Doctor took Jack's hand and brought it to his cheek, shaking his head no. Releasing his hand, he turned to the console.

"Doctor?" Jack wondered confused as he reached out for him again. Martha took his hand, offering him comfort as the Doctor raced around the console hitting buttons and flicking switches.

"Who can help him?" Martha questioned. The Doctor paused with his hand on the brake, ready to pull it and send the TARDIS on her way.

"Are you coming?" He asked her as he waited.

"I don't even understand where we are going," Martha told him. The Doctor looked at her.

"I told you," He informed her. Martha shook her head no. "Yes, I did. I told you we are going to go see someone who can help Jack."

"That doesn't explain where we are going," Martha tried again. She still made no move to head to the door and the Doctor took that as she was going with them.

"Allons-y," He yelled as he pulled the handbrake sending the TARDIS on her way and her occupants to the floor.


	20. Chapter 20

Besides the initial start being bumpy, the rest of the TARDIS flight was relatively smooth. Martha watched as the Doctor ran around the console, hitting the necessary button or pulling a lever before ringing a bell. His movements were more coordinated than normal, leading her to believe that he knew how to fly the TARDIS better than he let on. She had suspected it in the past as he failed to land the TARDIS in the right year or sometimes even in the right galaxy, yet he was able to get her home within five minutes of leaving the previous day. She had asked him about it and received some rambled excuse about the TARDIS being old and not to be too hard on the girl before he hit a button that caused the TARDIS to rock violently and throw her to the ground.

"Where are we going?" Jack wondered nervously as he felt the TARDIS shake. He gripped Martha's hand tighter. While it hurt her fingers, she didn't pull away from him. The Doctor hit another button before heading over to Jack. He placed his hands on Jack's temples. Jack immediately opened his mind, letting his nervousness pass through the connection.

"It's alright, Jack," The Doctor cooed to him reassuringly. He kept the connection basic as he kept one eye on the monitor. "I am going to make a quick stop while you stay on the TARDIS with Martha. Then the three of us are going to the Luna University, where I am hoping to find someone who can help us."

"Can't I come with you?" Jack asked, not wanting to be separated from the Doctor.

"I rather you didn't. It is only going to take me a minute, I promise. Then I will be right back and we will be on our way," The Doctor reassured Jack. The TARDIS monitor beeped at him that they were nearing their first destination. He only had a few minutes before he had to begin the landing sequence. "I have to go and land the TARDIS," The Doctor told him before breaking the connection. Moving his hands away from Jack's temples, he began the familiar dance. The TARDIS landed with a barely noticeable thud as materialized on the forest path. The Doctor strolled to the doors, grabbing his coat along the way.

"You're not coming with me," He stated again as Martha and Jack came up behind him. He turned to look at the two of them with the doors still closed. "I didn't want to tell him and scare him, but I am going to look at the cabin I found him in to see if there are any clues about who hurt him. If he realizes where we are he is going to panic. So Martha can you please just keep him aboard the TARDIS for a short time for me."

"You have a half an hour before we come looking for you," Martha stated. She didn't like letting the Doctor go out there alone, but she knew he was right. Her hand still in Jack's, she gave it a gentle pull, moving back towards the medi-bay. While they waited for the Doctor's return, she could examine him and make sure that his wrist was set properly. The Doctor waited until they had left the control room before turning back to the doors. Upon opening them, he immediately knew that something was wrong.

The smell of burnt wood filled the dark night. He closed the door tightly behind him as he ran down the path towards the small cabin. As he grew closer he couldn't see the outline of it and upon approaching it he saw why. The cabin laid smoldering on the ground in front of him. A few of the pieces of wood still had a soft red glow from the fire that consumed the cabin. Pulling out his sonic, he scanned the mess. Looking at the results, he saw that an incendiary device had been used to burn the cabin. Carefully stepping into the mess he made his way across the floor to where the basement stairs would have been. Below him the floor creaked and he almost fell as a piece gave out, falling into the room below. Using his sonic as a torch he shined it into the hole, looking for any evidence of the machine used to electrocute Jack. He didn't see it. He hoped silently that it was further back, but he had the feel that whoever had set the fire had removed it before hand. Standing up straight again, he started to move forward again. The floor groaned loudly and he stepped back just in time as it gave out.

He swore colorfully in Gallifreyan as the basement was revealed to him. On the bottom floor lay the remains of three men. One of them was changed to the floor while the other two lay at his feet. The cause of death wasn't obvious from where he stood, but he wasn't going to just assume that the fire killed them. Especially because he was right. The machine that controlled the electricity was gone. He considered going back to the TARDIS, but he still had twenty minutes before Martha was supposed to come looking for him. That was plenty of time to examine the bodies with his sonic. Finding a clear spot on the ground, he jumped down to it, landing with ease. Feeling confident in himself, he strolled over to the men, running the sonic along the bodies. All three men had died due to gunshot wounds through the back of their heads. Whoever did this hadn't come to save the man they captured, but to steal the machine. The question was why?

Standing up straight again, the Doctor looked for a way out of the basement. Getting down had been easy, getting back up though proved to be a problem. Finally, he found a piece of wood that had broken off at a slant. He climbed up it, then grabbed onto the side, hoisting his body up over the edge. Running, he made it back to the TARDIS with less than a minute to spare. He took a deep breath, followed by another then opened the door.

"There you are," Martha stated as he strolled in. She ran her eyes up and down his sooty clothing. "You need a shower."

"Is the TARDIS on fire?" Jack wondered smelling the remains of the fire on the Doctor's clothes. Martha placed his hand to her face and shook her head no.

"The cabin that he was kept in was destroyed," the Doctor told her as he peeled off his coat, throwing it over the coral.

"Why?" Martha questioned. She released Jack's hand going over to get the Doctor's coat. It needed to be cleaned and leaving it on the coral wasn't going to accomplish that.

"Then what is burning?" Jack wondered. The Doctor didn't move to answer him and Martha wasn't sure how.

"I don't know. I intend to find out. First, though, I am going to shower and then we are going to fix Jack's autron energy problem. Don't leave the TARDIS," The Doctor told her sternly as he left the room.

"Hello?" Jack called out, reaching out for anyone's hand. He really didn't like being left alone and the fact that Martha had released his hand unnerved him. "Martha, please don't leave me." The Doctor turned around and went back to Jack. He glared at Martha as he took Jack's hand in his.

"I was right here," Martha stated.

"Doctor, you're back," Jack sighed with relief. "Something's burning."

"He didn't know that," The Doctor responded, speaking over Jack. With Jack's hand in his, he gently pulled to get him to follow. Together the two of them went down through the TARDIS and to the Doctor's room. He had Jack sit down on the bed, then placed his hands to Jack's temples.

"What is burning?" Jack asked panicking as soon as their minds were connected.

"The cabin that you were kept in. Someone destroyed it and killed three men and stole the machine used. Do you have any idea why someone would want that machine? The Doctor questioned, getting directly to the point.

"No. I didn't even know who the men were until they were dragging me out of bed," Jack responded.

"Would Alex know?" The Doctor wondered. Jack looked up at him.

"Probably, but I don't know where to find him or if Alex was even his real name," Jack admitted. "If he was smart he would be on the run because not only are the men going to be looking for him when they realize they got the wrong man, but also I am going to kill him when I find him."

"Jack," The Doctor drew out his name in annoyance.

"Don't Jack me. That man tried to kill me and it is because of him I can't see or hear. You can't stop me from making him pay for what he has done to me," Jack snipped in annoyance. "I won't use a gun to kill him if that is what you want. Instead, I will see how much he likes being electrocuted."

"Revenge isn't the answer," The Doctor tried softly. Jack broke the connection not wanting to hear it anymore. He didn't need a lecture from the Doctor about what was right and wrong. He was going to make Alex pay for sending the men after him and that was final. The Doctor took Jack's hand and spelled the word shower into it, before disappearing into it. He cleaned himself up quickly. Not wanting to leave Jack alone for too long, he returned to his room to dress. He put on his blue suit with red converse and a red striped tie. Taking Jack's hand once more, he took him to the control room. Martha was there waiting for him and he immediately saw that she hadn't listened to him. Her boots were caked with mud from the trail. He didn't comment on it as he once again sent them on their way.

After the TARDIS landed the second time, he took Jack's hand, heading to the door. As they stepped outside, Jack paused, feeling uneasy about the feeling of the sun on his face. He wasn't ready to leave the safety of the TARDIS, even with the Doctor holding tightly to his hand. Martha gently looped her arm around his.

"We've got you, Jack," The Doctor promised. As he waited for Jack to get up the courage to move a woman that he only met once before came over to them. She was wearing a long dress and her curly hair fell around her shoulders.

"Hello Sweetie," She smiled.


	21. Chapter 21

Even though the Doctor had come specifically to Luna University to find her, he still froze upon seeing her again. This woman who stood before him now was someone who knew more about him than he had told anyone in years. The fact that she knew his name meant that at some point he would love and trust her enough to take his hand in marriage. He knew better than anyone that timelines could change and he may never marry her. Yet she would still find her way to the library. Staring at him broken hearted as she took his place waiting for the final countdown to free everybody. He still had nightmares about sitting handcuffed as he watched her sacrifice herself, helpless to stop her.

"Who is this Doctor?" Martha asked snapping him out of it.

"Professor River Song," He answered her. "River this is Martha Jones and.."

"Captain Jack Harkness," River interrupted him. She looked closer at him. "What is the matter with him?" She wondered in concern as Jack continued to clutch at the Doctor's hand, his breathing uneven.

"Doctor, I want to go back to the TARDIS," Jack spoke up finally his voice shaky.

"You're alright," The Doctor cooed. He reached up with his other hand to gently stroke Jack's arm. "I was hoping you could tell me."

"Doctor, please take me back," Jack cried out, growing more panicked as they didn't move. In his panic, he couldn't remember how far they had walked since leaving the TARDIS. He just wanted to get back into the safety of her corridors.

"Doctor, I think we should go back in," Martha told him as Jack wrenched his arm away from her. He cried out in pain as his wrist jolted, still he turned to grab on to the Doctor with his now free hand. The Doctor ran his hand up to Jack's temple.

"You're alright. We are right outside the TARDIS, Jack," He cooed softly as he felt Jack's mind desperately making a connection. Jack turned around from him. Reaching out he found the TARDIS and sighed in relief. He pulled on the Doctor's hand as he stepped back inside the cooler room. The Doctor allowed Jack to pull him, stepping inside the TARDIS with him. Martha and River followed them on next. The Doctor watched River, but she didn't seem surprised about the TARDIS being bigger on the inside as she made her way confidently up the ramp.

"Doctor," Jack whimpered feeling his stomach flipped. Jack fell to his knees and gagged. The Doctor knelt down beside him, rubbing his back as Jack was sick on the TARDIS floor. Jack continued to cough and gag, feeling pathetic. He had faced Daleks, being buried alive and being tortured. Yet the mere act of stepping off the TARDIS with the Doctor had caused him to have a panic attack.

"Here you go," River said, handing the Doctor a cup of water. The Doctor took it from her, placing it to Jack's lips. Jack took a small drink of the cool water, letting it sooth his throat as his body tried to reject it. "What happened to him?" River questioned again as she watched.

"I found him recently in a cabin. He is currently blind and deaf from being tortured. I came here so that you could tell me what I did to help him," The Doctor informed her as he looked up.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, I don't know," River responded. The Doctor sighed, feeling his last ounce of hope that he would be able to help Jack slip away. He laid his head against Jack's as he continued to rub his back soothingly. He had promised Jack that he would help him, but now he didn't know if he was going to be able to keep that promise. Standing he pulled Jack to his feet as well, heading towards his room. He just wanted to be alone for a little while, yet he still found himself unwilling to leave Jack behind. Going into his room he pulled the door tightly closed, locking it with his sonic.

"Bath," He said out loud as he signed the word into Jack's palm.

"I will wait here," Jack answered as he reached out to find the bed. The Doctor shook his head and gave a gentle tug on Jack's hand. Jack's brow furrowed in confusion, but with the Doctor's help he undressed. The Doctor took off his own suit, then put a plastic cover over Jack's injured wrist to keep the bandage dry. Taking Jack's hand again, he took him into the bathroom. The large tub had already been filled with warm water by the TARDIS in anticipation of the Doctor going in. The Doctor helped Jack into the tub first, then followed him into the water.

"I've got you," The Doctor cooed as he sat down first, then had Jack lean back against his chest. Jack gasped as he felt the Doctor's cool body pressing against his. His mind raced at why the Doctor would put them into such an intimate position. All the Doctor did was hold him, though, as Jack fought not to let his body respond and embarrass himself. The Doctor had to have noticed his erection but didn't say anything as he continued to hold him in the water. Eventually, Jack just relaxed against the Doctor, enjoying the feeling of their bodies so close together, even if he couldn't stop wondering why.


	22. Chapter 22

The Doctor held Jack close to his chest He hadn't been thinking clearly when he brought Jack into the bath with him, he should have just left him on the bed like Jack wanted. Still he couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of Jack's hot skin against his. He couldn't help but notice Jack's erection as he tried to relax. The Doctor was just thankful that being a Time Lord he was able to control his own body or he might have embarrassed himself as well. Even if he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to sleep with Jack, he would never take advantage of Jack while he was helpless to stop him. The Doctor couldn't say that Jack would pay him the same respect, but then again he trusted Jack with his life, he was sure he could also trust him with his body.

He sighed. He had decided to take the bath in order to relax and think. Focusing on Jack's body against his wasn't what he needed to concentrate on if he was going to help Jack. River had been unable to give him the answers that he needed to fix Jack's autron energy problem. Nor had he been able to find the machine used to electrocute Jack in order to determine the voltage and kind of electricity used. It was almost as if someone wanted Jack to stay deaf and blind for as long as possible. If he had to guess who that was he would go with Alex. The problem was, how did Alex know that Jack was alive if he was just a one night stand.

"Stop it," The Doctor scolded Jack as he was snapped out of his thoughts by Jack rubbing his bottom against his groin. He tapped Jack lightly on the arm with his hand and Jack stopped.

"Can't blame a man for trying," Jack responded cheekily, even if the Doctor could hear the worry in his voice. The Doctor patted Jack's chest, then ran his hand soothingly up and down it as he tried to return his thoughts to figuring out Jack's energy problem. Jack had succeeded in distracting him though and try as he might all he could focus on was Jacks' body against his. Gently he moved his hands from Jack's chest, pushing on his back to get him to stand up. Jack did and the Doctor scrambled out of the bath. He didn't go far as he reached out to help Jack out of the tub as well. Jack got out slowly holding onto the Doctor as he ran his other hand towards the Doctor's groin. The Doctor caught his hand bringing it back up. Moving Jack away from the tub, he pushed his fingers to his temples.

"Stop it. I am not taking advantage of you while I am trying to help you," The Doctor scolded Jack. Jack smiled at him.

"But if I was feeling better you would consider it?" Jack questioned him. The Doctor scowled at him.

"Jack," He drew Jack's name out in annoyance.

"I will let you in on a secret though Doc. It's not taking advantage of me if I want it." With that, Jack let his hand slip down the Doctor's chest again. The Doctor quickly drew in his breath as the hand settled just above his groin. The Doctor closed his eyes. This was wrong. Jack was his friend and he shouldn't be doing this. He should drag him back to the lab and run the necessary test to try to restore Jack's hearing and vision. Even as he thought it, he felt his body trying to respond to Jack's touch and he fought hard not to let it. "Please Doc, help me to not feel alone."

"You're not alone," The Doctor whispered, his voice cracking. Jack leaned forward resting his head on the Doctor's chest as the Doctor's hearts sped up.

"Just one night Doc. That is all I am asking you for," Jack practically found himself begging. The Doctor opened his eyes again. He stared at Jack a moment. Moving his hands away from Jack's temples, he moved his body back away from Jack's touch. Jack hung his head at the thought the Doctor had rejected him. The Doctor acted the same towards him as he reached out, taking his hand in his and led him back to the bedroom. He shouldn't be doing this, he thought again as he moved Jack's hand back to his chest. Jack looked at him questioningly and the Doctor took Jack's other hand bringing it to his cheek as he nodded. Jack smiled, leaning forward to press his mouth softly against The Doctors. The Doctor didn't return the kiss standing their frozen as Jack's hand drifted lower, finally finding what it had been looking for. He couldn't stop his body from reacting to the touch.

Jack seemed almost nervous as they moved slowly from standing to lying on the bed holding each other close. The Doctor returned the kisses slowly, trying to reassure Jack as Jack fumbled, unable to see what he was doing. The Doctor helped to guide him along the way and soon he found himself laying on his back with Jack's body entwined with his. He reached out stroking Jack's temple as Jack moved within him. Jack opened his mind to him and found himself once more on Gallifrey. He could still feel the Doctor's body joined with his and looking down he saw the Doctor staring up at him.

"Thank you," Jack whispered leaning down to kiss him, before leaning back to admire the Doctor's body. With their minds joined, it didn't take either of them long to find their releases. Jack collapsed forward, laying on the Doctor's chest, listening to his hearts beat. The Doctor moved his hands to Jack's back, running one hand down his spine as he stared up at the ceiling of his room.

He should not have done that. He really, really should not have done that.


	23. Chapter 23

The Doctor was thankful that he was in the privacy of his own room as Jack continued to lay on his chest nestled between his legs. It was a very undignified and embarassing position and one that he had been forced to lay in many times for the Master aboard the Valiant. He shuddered as his thoughts turned to that horrible year and he tried desperately to push them away. Without thinking about it, he moved his hands to Jack's chest and gently pushed on him to get him to move. With his mind drifting back he began to panic that Jack wasn't going to listen to him and before Jack even had a chance to react though, he pushed him harder.

"Easy," Jack hissed as his wrist jolted from the Doctor. He sat up feeling his body seperate from the Time Lord's.

As soon as Jack was off of him, the Doctor moved to sit on the edge of the bed panting in relief as he tried to calm himself. Jack wasn't the Master and thinking like that would drive Jack away. Reaching out, he took Jack's hand in his giving it a tug. They needed to get cleaned up again and then head out to the medi-lab to begin the test again on Jack. He stood up, feeling the soreness in his body and took Jack to the shower. The shower was warmer than normal and he welcomed it. Jack pressed his body against his back, kissing his neck softly. The Doctor could feel Jack's hardness pressing against his thigh and rather than push him away, he leaned slightly forward as he reached back and guided Jack into his body again. He held onto the side of the shower as Jack held his hips taking him softly under the warm water. He arched his back straightening up as Jack's hand ran up his back and grabbed one of his shoulders. Jack kissed him on the cheek and he turned his head to catch Jack's lips.

He couldn't help but wonder why he was doing this again. He was just going to end up heartbroken when Jack left him once he was healed, yet he wanted to be close to Jack. Needed to feel Jack's body move with his. He cared for Jack even if he could never say the words. How many times over the years had he wondered what it would be like to feel his body move with Jack's and now that it was, all he could think about was that he shouldn't be doing this. He released the kiss, turning his head so that he could stare at the wall again. When he found a cure for Jack's problem he would sit down and tell him he didn't want him to leave. Maybe then Jack would believe him and not just think he was taking care of him because he felt obligated to. Who was he kidding? He was a coward at the best of times and once Jack was healed he would let him walk away no matter how much he wanted to beg him to stay.

He found his release first, for the second time in as many hours. Jack continued to move slowly during it. It was only after his body relaxed again that Jack's movements became rough. Jack released his shoulder to grip his hips again and he held on tightly as Jack chased his own release. His mind was no longer focused on Jack leaving as he was reduced to the feeling of their bodies moving together. He cried out as Jack fell over the edge then was thankful that he had been holding onto the shower as Jack's knees started to give out. Jack collapsed forward laying on his back a moment. He didn't stay long as he straightened up, seperating their bodies. The Doctor turned around reaching up to Jack's temples.

"I suggested the shower to get clean," The Doctor chastised Jack softly. He kept the connection shallow as he didn't want Jack to lose track of where they were and slip in the shower and hurt himself again.

"You started it," Jack argued. The Doctor's face turned red and he was thankful Jack couldn't see it. He dropped his hands and grabbed a wash cloth. Together they finished showering without another word between them. He took Jack back to the bedroom and only had him dress in a pair of trousers while he dressed in his suit. Jack didn't question it as the Doctor dragged him to the medi-bay.

He connected with Jack's mind quickly once more to let Jack know that he was going to run an MRI, CT scan and X-rays on him and that he needed him to lay perfectly still while he did. Jack listened, leaving his hands next to his sides as the Doctor had the TARDIS start the test. He didn't know if they would show him anything, but he was hopeful they would give him a starting point. The only other idea that he had was to take a biopsy of Jack's bone and run it through electrical current to see if he could get a reaction and judge how much electricty they used on Jack. He really didn't want to cause Jack that pain if he didn't have to though.

"There you are," Martha stated as she came into the medi-bay. "River and I were wondering if we would see you two again before morning."

"I am starting again at the beginning to try to figure out how to help Jack. At the moment, I am running an MRI, CT scan and X-rays on Jack. Once they are done, I would like you to give him a complete physical and draw blood. In the morning we may need to do a bone biopsy but I want to avoid it if at all possible," The Doctor informed her as he stood up. He walked stiffer than normal over to his chalk board.

"Are you alright?" Martha wondered.

"Fine," He answered her sounding confused.

"Don't give me that. You are walking as though your back is sore," Martha stated. She couldn't help but notice the slight blush that crossed the Doctor's face.

"I'm fine," he replied immediately. Martha eyed him suspeciously as he turned to the board. He did feel sore from his escapades with Jack but he wasn't about to tell Martha that. He could feel her eyes analyzing him though as he started to write on the board. He made sure to write in English so that Martha could help him with figuring out what happened to Jack. "Where is River?" He asked after a moment trying to get Martha to stop staring at him.

"She went to her room. I tried to talk to her but she didn't say much. Only that her past is your future. What does she mean? Who is she?" Martha wondered.

"I don't know," The Doctor answered truthfully. Once he was done tending to Jack he planned on finding out. In the mean time, he was going to see if she could help him find Alex. He would find out from Jack what planet they met on and have River follow him from there. He paused in his work as he wondered if it was River who had caused the mess at the cabin after all and not Alex. It could be a mistake to send River after Alex, but he had no one else. This would be a test to see if he could trust her and he just hoped that she didn't let him down.


	24. Chapter 24

"I need to know where you met Alex and when," The Doctor told Jack later on that evening as they sat in Jack's favorite bar. The test that they had ran throughout the day were all inconclusive about why his Autron energy wasn't restoring itself. The Doctor was quickly running out of ideas on how to help his friend. Rather than answer the question, though, Jack hung his head. The Doctor walked over to him lifting his chin. "I know about your past Jack. You don't have to be ashamed to tell me where you met Alex or why. Normally I wouldn't care, but somebody hurt you because of him and we have to find out why. Now please just tell me who Alex is so I can send River to find him."

"Who?" Jack wondered his brow crinkled with confusion. The Doctor sighed as he realized that he hadn't told Jack River was on board yet.

"River Song, she is someone from my future, but nevermind that. I am going to send her to find Alex and get answers on why those men were after him," The Doctor explained.

"No," Jack responded. The Doctor stared at him as a drink appeared in Jack's hand. He drank it and then poured another from the bottle of whiskey that appeared on the counter. The Doctor didn't comment that the alcohol wasn't real as he watched Jack take a third drink. Jack scowled as the bottle and cup disappeared.

"Why not?" The Doctor questioned, taking a seat next to Jack.

"I am not going to let anyone else get hurt because of me Doc. Not you, not Martha and not River," Jack snipped at him.

"What about the others who Alex is going to hurt anyways because you didn't tell me where I could find him?" The Doctor questioned. Jack stood up knocking his chair over as he did.

"Don't you do that. Don't you put Alex's actions on me. I am not responsible for what he does," Jack hissed angrily. He moved to the other side of the bar, pulling out another bottle of whiskey and a shot glass. He slammed them down on the counter and poured the shot glass full. Passing it to the Doctor he took a long drink from the bottle. The Doctor picked the glass up and drank it. He sat there still waiting as Jack drank most of the bottle, then poured the Doctor another shot, before setting it down. The Doctor drank it as he continued to wait. He could tell that Jack was debating with himself and rather than try to talk him into giving him Alex's location, he just sat there.

"It is getting late. I am going to let Martha know we are heading to bed, then we will talk again in the morning," The Doctor said at last after Jack continued to stand there. He started to break the connection from Jack's mind, but Jack held on to it. The Doctor looked at him and waited.

"I met Alex on Verlor Stern in the year 2257," Jack whispered. The Doctor nodded as the connection finally ceased. Moving his hands to the side of Jack's head he leaned forward to kiss Jack on the head. He had never been to Verlor Stern himself though he had heard of it. It was a popular place for criminals, thieves or anyone looking for a quick lay. The crime on the planet was vast and even the Shadow Proclamation tended to stay away unless they were looking for someone specific. The fact that Jack knew and had been to the planet didn't surprise the Doctor. It disappointed him, yes, but better men than Jack had fallen for the temptations that the planet had to offer.

"Let's go to bed," The Doctor told Jack, tugging on his arm. He took Jack once more to his room, helping him to undress before they crawled beneath the blankets. Their lovemaking was slow as Jack learned every inch of the Doctor's body with his hands, before falling asleep in the safety of his arms.

-DW-

It took River several times to get the right time before she finally spotted Jack and Alex leaving a bar together. From there, River had no problem tracking Jack and Alex as they walked down the busy streets of Verlor Stern. Jack was holding the young man's hand laughing as they walked. The man though seemed to be on a mission, and he drug Jack down several different side streets as if he were trying to lose somebody. River looked around, but she didn't see anyone else besides herself following them, still Alex was paranoid and she was going to find out why. Finally, the two of them arrived at a cheap hotel on the outskirts of town. River watched as Alex got them a room using his real name. She wanted to warn Jack, but this was Jack's past and she couldn't change it now. All she could do is wait. The two of them disappeared further into the hotel and River settled down to wait. It was a few hours later before Alex snuck out of the hotel without Jack. She followed him over to a payphone. Picking it up, he deposited the correct change into the phone before dialing it.

"I found Alex. He is at the Müllkippe hotel," Alex said into the phone, then hung up. Looking around, he made his way quickly down the street, stopping at the corner to watch the hotel. River watched with him, as two men appeared in front of the hotel using vortex manipulators. They disappeared inside, returning a few minutes later with Jack in tow.

"I told you I am not Alex," Jack screamed at them. He started to say something else, but the three of them disappeared before he could. River turned her full attention back to Alex as he once more started down the street. River followed him. She contemplated just shooting him but the Doctor would be upset if she killed him without answers. They continued on to the same bar that she first found the two of them at. Alex went in it going to the counter. River followed him in.

"Mind if I sit here?" River wondered as she approached the empty seat next to him. He shook his head no, as he placed an order for a beer. He turned to look at her as she ordered the same.

"I don't know many women who drink beer," He told her.

"I'm not most women," River replied smiling at him. Alex smiled back.

"I'm Alex."

"River," She responded. Their beers arrived and she took a sip of hers. It wasn't the best tasting beer that she had, but she pretended to enjoy it as she talked to Alex. He lied to her as he told her that he had just arrived on Verlor about an hour ago on business. He didn't have to meet with the man until morning, though and was looking for someone to spend the night with. He put his hand on River's leg and she leaned closer to him. Unfortunately for him he wasn't going to make that morning meeting, if there really was one, because out of everyone on the planet he could have chosen from he had set up Jack to take the fall for him. Then just when he thought his luck was going his way again, he met River.

"I know a place," She told him as she reached into her purse and pulled out her lipstick. She reapplied it, then took his chin in her hand, kissing him softly. She ordered a water as she watched his eyes glaze over. "I think you've had too much to drink. Come on sweetie." River took his hand and led him from the bar.

"Where are we going," Alex slurred. River stopped, typing in coordinates on her manipulator.

"Somewhere electifying," She responded. She grabbed his hand again, placing it on the manipulator. Alex looked confused, but didn't resist as she sent them on their way.


	25. Chapter 25

The Doctor woke up trapped beneath the blankets and Jack. Jack was still sound asleep, his body pressed firmly to the Doctors, his hardness pressing against his bottom. The Doctor sighed. Jack was insatiable even in his sleep and the Doctor had to make a decision. He could either put a stop to what was happening between them now, or he would have to learn to live with a sore bottom for awhile. The decision was easy for him to make. He really didn't want to be alone again. Reaching back he ran his hand down Jack's side, squeezing his hip. Jack moaned. The Doctor ran his hand down between them, letting just his fingers trail over Jack. Jack thrust minutely, groaning as the Doctor teased him. The Doctor guided Jack into his body.

"Morning," Jack whispered, kissing him on the back of the head. He wrapped his arms around the Doctor and the Doctor took his hand, holding it tightly as their bodies moved as one. Words weren't needed as Jack seemed to be able to read his mind and respond without being able to see or hear. The Doctor never had met someone who loved him so much before, and by all rights Jack should have hated him. He had abandoned Jack aboard the Game Station and then ran from him when all Jack wanted was answers. Yet in all of his 900 years he could not remember a time when someone had loved him more. He lifted Jack's fingers to his mouth, kissing his knuckles. Jack's other hand ran down and had just found its destination when there was a knock on his bedroom door.

"Go away," He squeaked as Jack didn't hear the interruption.

"Are you alright?" Martha asked in concern.

"Fine," he yelled back. He put a hand on Jack's to stop him for a moment, not wanting Martha to hear them. Jack got the hint but because he didn't know why the Doctor was stopping him he continued to on purposely tease the Doctor.

"I wanted to let you know that River is back," Martha began to tell him through the door.

"I will be out in a few minutes," The Doctor interrupted her.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Martha questioned.

"Martha I'm fine," He snipped. He listened for a moment, thankful when he heard Martha's footsteps retreating. He telepathically chastised the TARDIS for letting Martha find his room and she hummed at him. The Doctor moved Jack's hand letting him know it was alright for him to continue. Jack kept his movements slow even when the Doctor tried to hurry him. Jack brought him over the edge first, then followed him, finding his release deep inside the Doctor. After, he tried to cuddle with the Doctor, but he pulled away. Still breathing hard, he placed a hand to Jack's temple.

"We need to get dressed and go to see River," The Doctor informed Jack. Jack nodded reluctantly getting out of bed. The Doctor did the same, dressing in his brown suit and then helping Jack to dress in his normal attire. He took Jack's hand leading him out of the room. He felt a gentle nudge from the TARDIS and he opened his mind to her. Listening to her, he headed to the control room. As he entered it, he saw a man handcuffed to the railing and River standing over him holding a gun. Realizing who the man was, he couldn't stop the fury that filled him upon seeing Alex. He turned, taking Jack out of the control room and to the medi-bay, not wanting Alex to see him.

"Wait here. Martha will be with you in just a moment," The Doctor informed Jack with a quick brush of his temples. He hurried back to the control room, strolling confidently across the room. "Martha, Jack is waiting for you in the medi-bay. Please go tend to him," He advised her, his voice deathly calm.

"Yes Doctor," Martha answered immediately, not wanting to turn the Oncoming Storm onto herself.

"Has he told you anything?" The Doctor asked River. She shook her head no.

"I found him taking Jack to a hotel room. They were in it several hours before he left and called somebody. He claimed he had found Alex and sent them in after Jack instead," River explained.

"Why did you choose Jack?" The Doctor questioned Alex. Alex spit at him, rather than answer. The Doctor stepped forward, showing he wasn't afraid of Alex. He could get his answers from Alex, regardless of whether or not Alex wanted to provide them. Forcing himself inside of Alex's mind wasn't something he wanted to do or liked doing for that matter. Still if it came down to it, there were no secrets that Alex could hide from him. "Don't play games with me. Don't you ever think you are smart enough for that. Now I will ask you one more time, why Jack."

"Because that whore was an easy target," Alex taunted him. He grunted as River hit Alex over the head with her gun.

"River," The Doctor drew out her name. He held out his hand and she reluctantly put the gun in it. She had no fear that the Doctor was going to use it. Sure enough, he emptied the gun of all the bullets and took it apart without looking at it as he continued to talk to her. "I don't like guns and don't appreciate you bringing it aboard my TARDIS."

"Guns don't work aboard the TARDIS anyways because it is in a state of Temporal Grace," River informed him. The Doctor's forehead furrowed in confusion.

"Who told you that?" He wondered as it was clearly a lie and not a very good one. He had used a gun aboard the TARDIS before, not that he was proud of it.

"Spoilers," River responded. The Doctor groaned. He threw the pieces of the gun aside and turned his attention back to Alex.

"Jack is not a whore," The Doctor informed Alex.

"He came to that bar every night looking for a quick lay," Alex spat at the Doctor.

"I thought you said that you just arrived on Verlor an hour before I met you," River informed him. Alex glared at her.

"You're next. I am going to take great pleasure in listening to you scream as they strap you in and electrocute you. Even the toughest men scream in the end and I bet you won't last more than a few minutes," Alex taunted her.

"Why are they going to kill her?" The Doctor asked him. His voice was calm, yet the fury in his eyes told anyone who bothered to look, that he was anything but calm. Alex, though, was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid, because he looked the Doctor in the eyes and smiled.

"Because she is just as stupid as the whore," Alex answered. The Doctor didn't think about it as he raised his hands and pressed his fingers to Alex's temples. It was simple for him to shatter the walls that Alex had put in place to protect his mind. He wasn't fully human and, therefore, a stronger telepath than most humans, but he was no match for a Time Lord. The Doctor quickly found the information he was looking for.

Alex had landed on Verlor about seven years ago. He quickly fell deeply into debt through gambling. He tried to get out of the debt, but he borrowed money from the wrong people and just kept digging himself deeper and deeper into debt. He then crossed paths with a group known as Kampf. They paid off his debts in exchange for his help in catching people who were wanted throughout the universe. Alex helped them, receiving no share of the bounties and first until he had paid off his debts to them. Eventually, though he was being paid, but he became greedy, not feeling as though he was receiving enough money. He started turning the bounties in himself. Kampf caught on and a bounty was placed on Alex's head, and that is what led him to frame Jack.

"Doctor," River yelled again, getting his attention. He opened his eyes to look into her horror-filled ones. This was why he needed someone to travel with him, someone he could trust to stop him. He released Alex's mind and Alex fell to the ground, his body shaking in a seizure. The Doctor took one look at what he did to the young man and was immediately sick on the TARDIS floor. He stood up quickly, running from the control room, just needing to get away. He wanted to be alone, but when he turned the corner he was standing in front of the medi-bay. He hurried across it, wrapping his arms around Jack. Jack returned the hug without question, holding the Doctor tightly as he trembled in his arms.

"Martha he needs your help," River cried out rushing into the room with Alex limp in her arms. Alex's breathing was shallow and his skin was cold and clammy. Martha hooked a heart monitor on to Alex's finger as she set the TARDIS to scan him. Martha didn't understand how the young man who had been sitting in the control room was the same young man now laying close to death on her table. She looked at River to ask what happened. River's eyes were focused on the Doctor though. Martha turned to him.

"Doctor what did you do?"


	26. Chapter 26

The Doctor didn't answer her out of shame for his actions. He kept his arms tightly around Jack and had his head rested on Jack's shoulder. Jack was still holding him close, but Jack's hand was now running up and down his back comfortingly. Jack being Jack was dipping his hand a little too low every third time, but the Doctor didn't move to stop him. He just took comfort in the feeling of Jack against him. Of course if Jack knew what he did, Jack would be mad that he had comforted him for it.

"Doctor, I need to know what you did in order to help this man," Martha told him.

"Why should we save him?" The Doctor asked, his voice soft. He lifted his head from Jack's shoulder. "After what he did to Jack and others why should he deserve to live?"

"Because we are not like the ones who hurt Jack. I did not become a doctor to let someone die. In all of our travels together you never walked away when someone needed help," Martha scolded him. The Doctor moved out of Jack's arms, standing tall in front of her.

"That's not who I am anymore. For a long time now, I thought I was just a survivor, but I'm not. I'm the winner," The Doctor informed her. His focus was on Martha so he missed River's hand swinging and it connected with his arm with a loud slap. He turned to glare at her as Martha's hand also connected with his arm.

"You knock that thinking off right now. You are the Doctor and you help people, now help him," Martha scolded. The Doctor visibly slumped. He leaned back against Jack's chest. Jack wrapped his arms around him again, his hand drifting down to the Doctor's groin. The Doctor caught it, lifting it higher again.

"I can't help him, Martha. I forced myself into his mind and tore through his thoughts to find the information I wanted. There is no medication that can fix that," The Doctor told her. Now that he wasn't trying to defend his actions to himself, he stared at Alex. The look in his eyes was unreadable, though.

"What about entering his mind again?" Martha suggested.

"That could kill him, but if we don't do something quickly he will die anyways. Or be in nappies for the rest of his life. We also still don't know where the men he worked for are," River told them.

"He didn't know," The Doctor answered. He sighed. "It should be Jack's decision on whether or not we save him. After all he is the one who is suffering because of Alex's actions." The Doctor really didn't want to tell Jack when he did on the plus side he didn't have to. There was nothing at all stopping him from lying to Jack about how they found Alex. He could claim that Alex was brought aboard the TARDIS in the condition he was currently in. The Doctor shook his head trying to clear it. Thinking like that was the reason that he had been hit in the first place.

He turned to face Jack, running his fingers affectionally down Jack's face not caring that Martha and River were watching. Jack leaned forward kissing him softly on the chin as he missed his lips. The Doctor smiled, pressing his fingers to Jack's temples. Jack immediately opened his mind letting the Doctor in. The Doctor closed his eyes, completing the connection. As he opened his eyes, he saw that rather than being in Jack's favorite bar, they were instead in a simple bedroom. The walls were made of stone and there was a single bed sitting in the corner. Jack was laying on the bed naked staring up at the Doctor.

"Jack put your clothes on," The Doctor sighed. Jack looked at him concerned as a pair of trousers appeared. Jack picked them up, reluctantly standing up to put them on.

"What happened Doc?" Jack wondered as he pulled the trousers on.

"River found Alex," The Doctor began. Jack paled slightly as he nodded. He had suspected that River was back when he had been rushed to the medi-bay rather than staying with the Doctor like they originally planned.

"Where is he?" Jack questioned.

"Here laying on the bed next to yours. He is dying Jack. I can save him, but I won't do it unless you tell me to," The Doctor explained. Jack instinctively turned his head towards the next bed. The Doctor changed the room they were in showing Jack the medi-bay. Alex lay on the bed his skin pale. He was no longer having seizures, but it was clear he was in bad shape.

"What happened?" Jack wondered. He stared at Alex in contempt for the pain that he caused him.

"Does it matter?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes," Jack answered immediately.

"Why?"

"Because I need to know whether or not you got the answers you needed in order to find the men that hurt me. If you did, then you can just let him die. The universe will be better off without him in it," Jack spat in anger. The Doctor let Alex fade, placing them back in Jack's room. He could hear his own voice in Jack's words.

"We got the answers we needed," The Doctor responded.

"Then let him die," Jack seethed. The Doctor hung his head. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I can't," He said at last.

"You just said it was my decision." Jack glared at him. The Doctor didn't back down, though.

"I did, but I caused him to be like this. I can't let him die, Jack," The Doctor explained. Jack's face softened in concern for his lover's actions. He paused for a moment as he wondered what the Doctor would think of him considering the Doctor his lover. He decided that he didn't care.

"Then save him if you have to, but I will kill him the first chance I get," Jack agreed. Outside of his mind, he ran his hand to his hip where his gun usually was. He didn't have it, though, and as long as he was on the TARDIS he would not be able to get ahold of a new one.

"I know," The Doctor replied. He broke the connection with Jack, running his hands to cup Jack's chin. Jack leaned forward and their lips met for just a moment. The kiss they shared was tender if not short. He heard Martha gasp and he turned his eyes to look at her as she hung her head trying to hide her smile. He broke the kiss with Jack before moving away from him. Crossing the medi-bay he hurried to the medical cabinet. He grabbed several syringes along with several vials hurrying back to Alex's side. "We can save him, but we only have a short time before the damage is permanent. Martha set up an IV and give him the minimum recommended doses. River I need you to leave again and see if you can find the men who took Jack. I still need to know what they used to electrocute him."

"And what are you going to do?" Martha asked as she set up the IV stand with a saline solution.

"I am going to enter his mind and save him," The Doctor told her. He was going to have to rebuild the wall that he shattered when he entered Alex's mind by force. He didn't want to enter Alex's mind, but he saw no other choice. He couldn't let Alex die even if it was the right choice.


	27. Chapter 27

The Doctor sat down on the edge of Alex's bed as he put his fingers to Alex's temples. Unlike when he connected with Jack, he didn't bother to ask permission as he closed his eyes and once more forced his way into the young man's mind. He opened his mind's eyes to a barren wasteland. The wall that had once protected Alex's mind was shattered, spreading sand and small rocks as far as the eye could see. The Doctor reached down, picking up a handful and watched it run through his fingers. He stood wiping his hand off on his coat as he stared. He had come into Alex's mind with the intent of rebuilding his wall. There was nothing to build the wall with, though. Alex's mind was gone and even if the Doctor managed to scrape together enough rocks to build the wall it would never stand properly again. It would just crumble once more to the ground. Still if he left Alex's mind the way it was Alex would die. He sighed deeply as he pictured the sand and rocks gathered together as small mounds surrounding Alex's mind. He pushed them closer together, letting the sand fill in the gaps between the rocks. Every once in a while he would find a larger piece of brick and he would bury it among the mounds keeping it safe as he worked. Soon all the rocks were back together. It was a pathetic barrier, but Alex's mind would survive as long as the bricks he buried stayed whole. As carefully as he could, he broke the connection and opened his eyes back to the medi-bay.

"Did it work?" Martha asked as she watched the monitors. Alex had stopped having seizures, but his body was still weak and close to death.

"He will live if that is what you mean," The Doctor told her darkly as he stood up.

"Doctor," Martha drew out his name and he looked at her.

"I destroyed his mind. The wall that protects his mind is nothing but sand and rocks now. I fixed it the best I could, but his mind is gone. He will live, but he is going to be reliant on a tube down his throat to feed him and a catheter or nappy for the rest of his life," The Doctor advised her, his voice shaking. "He isn't staying her either. I refuse to take care of him after what he did to Jack. Depending on what we find out, I might even drop him off at a hospital and let them deal with it. What he really deserves, though, is to be taken back to that marketplace he found Jack in and left."

"How long have you been alone?" Martha questioned. The Doctor glared at her.

"Why does that matter?" He snipped at her.

"Because this isn't like you and if you had somebody by your side and keeping you company, you wouldn't be talking like this. Alex may be a piece of garbage who deserves to be left on the street, but you taught me that we have to be better than that. You have to be better than that Doctor," Martha informed him sternly. The Doctor ran his hand through his hair frustrated. He turned and looked at Jack sitting on the table. Jack wanted Alex dead and if the Doctor gave Jack the means, he would be. He could end this right now by taking Jack over to Alex's bed and guiding Jack's hands to his throat. The Doctor shook his head. He couldn't think that anymore.

Walking quickly to Jack's side, he grabbed his hand and tugged on it. Jack followed him without question as he led him out of the medi-bay and down the hall. He took Jack to the control room and had him sit on the captain's chair as he piloted her. During his many years of travel, he had come across a lot of hospitals that he could choose from that would take Alex in. He wasn't going to take Alex to the best hospital he knew, Alex didn't deserve that. Nor did he deserve one that the Doctor had or would shut down. Instead, the Doctor picked one that was almost a middle ground between the two. While they would do everything in their power to care for Alex, they were in no position to save his mind. Leaving Jack on the Captain's chair, he helped Martha wheel Alex out in front of the hospital. They left him where he could be seen clearly but where they wouldn't be questioned or detained because of his injuries.

The Doctor stood and watched the TARDIS monitor until a nurse rushed out to check on Alex. He was still laying on the hospital bed from the TARDIS and had a note written on his chest of what medications he had been given. The nurse looked around confused as a second nurse joined her. The Doctor didn't hear their short conversation, but they must have reached an agreement as a moment later they wheeled Alex into the hospital. Flicking off the monitor he turned to Martha.

"Happy now?" He asked her.

"No, but thank you for saving him," Martha replied. The Doctor narrowed his eyes further at her. "Now about you and Jack."

"What Jack and I do in the privacy of our bedroom is none of your concern," The Doctor interrupted her. He knew where this conversation was going and he had already asked himself several times if he was taking advantage of Jack. Jack was clear on what he wanted, though. He had made it clear to the Doctor that he wanted to have sex with him and even if it felt wrong, the Doctor enjoyed the skin on skin contact as well. He felt his member stirring at just the thought of Jack's body joining with his again and he had to use every discipline that he knew to keep from embarrassing himself.

"Honestly I wasn't going to say anything bad about it. I am actually happy for you. You and Jack deserve each other and I am just surprised that it has taken you so long to realize it," Martha commented the Doctor looked at her suspiciously for a moment.

"I don't deserve Jack. He should hate me for everything that I have put him through," The Doctor told her at last.

"You're right, but he doesn't and he never will," Martha agreed with him. The Doctor walked over to Jack and took Jack's hand in his. Jack turned his palm face up as the Doctor spelled the word bed, on to it. Jack smiled and nodded. He stood up taking the Doctor's hand. The Doctor let Jack led him down the hallway as Jack counted the steps. He needed to start learning how to get around the TARDIS himself and the control room to their bedroom was the perfect time to start. The Doctor stopped him outside the door, then led him into the room. He took Jack over to their bed, bending him over it. Jack held onto the covers as the Doctor moved deep within his body. Grabbing Jack, he pulled him so that he was standing up and continued to move lazily. He kissed him softly on the mouth, tasting him, and memorizing that taste. He brought them both to release, then allowed Jack to collapse forward onto the bed making sure he didn't land on his injured arm.

"You should take charge more often Doc," Jack panted. The Doctor nipped his shoulder in reply. Not tired, he helped Jack dress as he tucked himself back into his trousers. There would be more time to learn Jack's body later, right now he was hungry and he thought he might try to get Jack off the TARDIS again and to a small cafe he knew of. He ran his hand down to Jack's temple resting his fingers against it.

"Do you want to try to eat at a small Cafe?" The Doctor asked. Jack looked at him hesitantly.

"I don't know if I am ready," Jack admitted softly.

"I will be right by your side the entire time Jack. I promise that if you trust me, I will keep you safe," The Doctor told him.

"I do trust you," Jack replied automatically. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He couldn't stay on the TARDIS forever. One way or the other he was going to have to brave the universe again. A date with the Doctor sounded like the perfect way so start. "Lead the way." The Doctor kissed him softly, before taking Jack to the control room. It was only a short jump as it was on the same planet as the hospital. He took Jack to the doors, opening them wide.

"Whenever you are ready," The Doctor signed into his hand. Jack nodded. He kept breathing calmly as he gripped the Doctor's hand so tightly that his fingers were beginning to hurt. He reminded himself that the Doctor was by his side and that regardless of what had happened over the years, he still trusted the man. Gathering all the courage he possessed, he took a step forward.


	28. Chapter 28

They made it three steps away from the TARDIS before Jack began to panic. He grabbed onto the Doctor's hand with both of his as he took short gasping breaths. The Doctor didn't move as he gently stroked Jack's arm with his free hand. It would be simple to reach up to Jack's temple and reassure him, but not everyone could connect with Jack on that level and he had to get used to the world around him once more. He Kept up the gentle movement until Jack took a hesitant step forward followed by another. His grip on the Doctor's arm didn't waver, but in truth was starting to hurt. The Doctor, though, didn't make Jack let go as they continued forward. The Doctor led him out of the alleyway and out into the busy city. He was thankful that he parked the TARDIS on the side of the street with the cafe as he didn't think that he could get across the traffic safely with the way Jack kept stopping.

As they walked down the street, people went around them giving them looks as they hurried past. The Doctor didn't pay them any attention as his only concern was the scared man holding onto his arm. Somehow they made it to the cafe. The Doctor opened the door leading Jack inside. He calmed slightly as the cool day gave way to a warmly lit room. His grip on the Doctor's hand loosened, but both hands remained in place ready to grab the Doctor tightly again if necessary.

"A table for two," The Doctor told the hostess at the cafe. She eyed Jack suspiciously as she picked up two menus.

"Is your friend alright?" She asked concerned. The Doctor narrowed his eyes at her.

"He is fine. He is just a little scared," The Doctor told her sternly. The woman nodded.

"Follow me," She started to lead them to a table in the middle of the cafe, but the Doctor turned heading to a private booth in the corner away from prying eyes. Using his free hand, he carefully pried one of Jack's hands away from his and set it on the table. Jack felt along it as the Doctor took another step forward. Moving his free hand to Jack's arm, he took his other hand and put it on the back of the seat. Jack seemed to get the hint as he shuffled forward and with the Doctor's help sat down. The Doctor then gave him a gentle push to get him to move over. Jack scooted until the Doctor grabbed his arm to keep him from hitting the wall. Sighing he sat down and smiled at the waitress who was standing there impatiently waiting with the menus in her hand. The Doctor took them from her, opening his immediately to scan it.

"Your waitress will be right with you," She told him, her tone a lot less pleasant than when they arrived. The Doctor nodded relieved when she walked off. Reaching up he stroked the hair back from Jack's forehead as he waited for their server. They didn't have to wait long as a young girl came over holding a pot of coffee in her hand.

"Hi my name is Sally and I will be your waitress today. Would you like a cup of coffee while you decide?" Sally asked them pleasantly. The Doctor smiled at her.

"He would love a cup of coffee but you wouldn't have a pot of tea on hand too would you?" The Doctor inquire. Sally laughed as she picked up Jack's cup and poured the coffee for him. She set the cup back down on the table.

"I'll have a cup of tea out for you in just a moment," She promised. "Are you ready to order now or do you still need a minute?"

"I'm ready," The Doctor told her. He ordered two plates of hamburgers with chips. The woman assured them their meal would be out as soon as possible, leaving the Doctor alone once more with Jack. Taking Jack's hand, he guided it to the cup, helping Jack to find the handle. Jack picked up the hot liquid bringing it to his mouth. He took a small taste then lowered the cup again.

"I don't like this Doc. I want to go back to the TARDIS," Jack admitted as even the coffee failed to soothe his nerves. He knew they were in a cafe based on the fact the Doctor said they were going to one. The disconcerting part was that he couldn't see or hear anything that was going on. For all he knew the Doctor had lied to him and he wasn't safe at all but on his way to a prison. It was only his trust in the Doctor that kept hm from trying to run away. Well, that and the fact that he couldn't see where he was going even if he did leave.

"I know," The Doctor cooed as he spelled the words into Jack's hand. Jack made a face at him, pulling his hand away.

"Please talk to me Doc," Jack begged him. Reaching up, the Doctor placed his fingers to Jack's temples.

"You're safe Jack. We are in the corner booth and the waitress is going to be bringing out our food in just a little bit," The Doctor reassured Jack, not letting him strengthen the connection.

"I don't like not being able to see what is going on around me. I just want to go back. I trust you Doc, I do, but if something happens I won't be able to see or hear it nor will I be able to defended myself," Jack complained.

"Just because your senses are taken away doesn't make you weak Jack. You just have to learn to rely on your other senses for awhile," The Doctor reassured him. "Even with the loss of your sight and hearing, I feel sorry for the man who crosses you."

"Here is your tea," Sally told the Doctor as she set a cup on the table.

"Thank you," He responded.

"Who are you talking to?" Jack panicked.

"Just our waitress. Now calm down. I promise everything is going to be alright," The Doctor cooed. He looked at Sally who was still standing there.

"Did you require anything else while you wait?" She wondered as she watched.

"No, we're fine, thank you," The Doctor responded. He waited until she was gone then looked back at Jack. "I am going to break the connection with you now, but I assure you that I am still right here next to you." The Doctor removed his hands from Jack's temples. Jack leaned closer to him and the Doctor lifted his arm wrapping it around Jack's shoulders as Jack leaned into him. The position was new for them but felt completely normal. He continued to hold Jack as their food was brought out and set before them. He guided Jack's hand to his hamburger.

He had to use both hands to hold the large hamburger and get it to his mouth. The Doctor didn't even bother to try to eat his as he ate his way through his chips. He considered stealing some of Jack's but felt bad at the thought. He had no right to take food from Jack when he couldn't see him take it. Instead, he drank his tea as he watched Jack eat. Jack finished the burger, then reached down feeling the chips. He smiled as he picked up one chip after another popping them into his mouth.

"These are good chips," He told the Doctor with his mouthful. The Doctor didn't respond as Jack ate his way through the entire plate. Finally full, he leaned back placing his hand on his stomach. The Doctor motioned to the waitress for a to-go box and the check. She brought him both. Paying, he left the cafe with Jack heading back towards the TARDIS. Knowing that they were going back, Jack was quicker with his steps. He still stopped, but he was less anxious then on the way to the cafe. They made it quickly back to the TARDIS and he rushed inside.

"There you are. I was worried sick. Next time you take him off the TARDIS you should have the common courtesy to tell me first," Martha snipped at the Doctor as they entered.

"We just went to the cafe around the corner and I will take him anywhere I want to. I don't need your permission to take him out to lunch," The Doctor argued back.

"I am not saying you do, but I am trying to help you. I can't help you if you disappear without any explanation on where you are going," Martha informed the Doctor. The Doctor considered her words for a moment. He was used to coming and going as he pleased from his TARDIS. In fact while his companions slept, he normally was off the TARDIS for several hours without them knowing. On top of that he hadn't asked Martha for her help in fixing Jack. She had offered it and then pushed her way into staying. Still it had been easier to have her aboard especially when Jack tried to kill himself. He sighed.

"I will make sure to tell you next time," He told her, not really sounding sincere about it.

"Well, then if you will follow me, I want to examine Jack's arm and neck," Martha commented. The Doctor kept his hand in Jack's as he gave it a tug leading him towards the medi-bay. He would let Martha examine his stitches and wrist, then the two of them could be alone again.


	29. Chapter 29

Following the Doctor's directions, River headed through the console room once more in search of the men who hurt Jack. The Doctor needed the machine that was used in order to figure out how to reserve the damage that the electricity had caused Jack's cells. She wasn't able to tell the Doctor anything about the machine as she honestly didn't know that Jack had been blind and deaf at one point. Jack had interacted with her on many occasions and she would never have guessed he had once spent time lacking those two senses. Although, it did also explain why he didn't like dark quiet spaces. Being a time traveler herself, she was also aware that the timelines could have changed and there were many other possible explanations for that phobia as well. Dwelling on why he was afraid wasn't going to help her find the men, though. Pushing the thought aside, she ran her hand along the controls for the TARDIS.

"I need the coordinates to the cabin that Jack was kept in," She flirted. The TARDIS hummed happily at her. Looking at the monitor, she saw coordinates listed on it as well as a date and time. "Is that when the Doctor found him?" She questioned. A gust of warm air blew across her. "Thank you, sweetie." The TARDIS hummed again as River headed to the door as she typed the coordinates into her vortex manipulator. She made sure to set the time for after the Doctor found Jack as she didn't want to interfere with the time lines.

She landed in what was supposed to be night time. She could smell the smoke thickly in the air and the forest was ablaze with the fire that was consuming the cabin in front of her. Hearing a cry for help River took off towards the cabin as quickly as she could. She had to save the man who was inside it as she had no doubt in her mind that he would know what happened to Jack. She surveyed the cabin as she approached it, looking for the best way to enter as the cry continued. To just rush in would be suicide, even with her manipulator, if the floor collapsed she could be killed before she had time to escape. Still, if there was someone alive in that cabin she had to act quickly or they would perish before she could save them. Pulling up her shirt so that it covered her mouth she forced the front door open.

Flames flew out, licking at her exposed arms. She pulled back from the heat of the fire. She wasn't going to be able to get inside through the front door, there had to be another way. She couldn't use the manipulator to go inside as she had no idea where the man was located and she could land herself in the middle of the fire. She hurried around the side of the cabin looking for anyway in. The man was still calling for help, but his cry was abruptly cut off as the sound of three gunshots filled the air. River cursed under her breath as the knowledge of what happened to Jack was lost with the sound. She moved back into the shadows of the trees inputting new coordinates as she did. She would wait as long as possible so that she could explore the wreckage once it was safe. In the meantime, she kept an ear out for anybody who might be still in the cabin.

As the flames died down, though, it became clear that no one who was in the cabin was still alive. It didn't surprise her that the man who killed them had left by other means. During this time period, it wasn't uncommon to find a Time Agent with a vortex manipulator of their own lending their services to the person who paid the most. Some actually had morals but for others they didn't care what the job was as long as the credits were paid. Standing, she made her way carefully to the cabin, stepping over what use to be the living room wall. Pieces of wood still burned brightly and she was careful to avoid them as she walked. She kept a constant look out for the body of the man she had heard. She didn't see it as she explored the now destroyed cabin.

As she walked the floor gave out from under her. She barely had time to cry out as she landed hard on the basement floor. Her ankle jolted painfully underneath her and she fell forward. She instinctively put her hands out to catch herself, screaming in pain as her palm landed on a piece of smouldering wood. She pulled away rolling her body away from it as she grabbed her hand in pain. She needed to get back to the TARDIS quickly so that Martha could attend to her hand, she couldn't leave yet, though. Shaking in pain, she pulled herself to her feet and looked around her. The bodies of two men lay on the floor. A third man was hanging from the ceiling. Their bodies had been destroyed by the fire, but she didn't have to examine them to know that they had died from gunshot wounds. She limped forward as her eyes followed the blackened wires to the machine it was connected to. The machine was also destroyed, but she hoped that the Doctor would still be able to get the answers he needed from it.

It was a little hard to disconnect the machine with only one hand, but she managed it. Thankfully the machine wasn't attached to the floor. It was trickier to bring a machine with her then it was a human because it had to touch the manipulator in order to travel. Thankfully she had done it in the past and knew what she needed to do. Taking off her coat she tied it around the machine, wrapping it as tightly as she could. She then used the wires still connected to the machine to attach it to the manipulator. Finally, she held the coat tightly in her hand as she rested her arm on top of the machine. Inputting the coordinates for the TARDIS, she hoped silently it would work as she sent herself on her way.

-DW-

Jack was thankful that once Martha was done examining him, the Doctor had led Jack back to the privacy of his bedroom. Today had been nerve wrecking with the trip to the small cafe. While the food had been good, Jack had found himself panicking due to the fact that he couldn't see or hear one around them. The only thing that had kept him anchored to the seat was the fact that the Doctor was there holding him. The Doctor asked for Jack to trust him and he had. Still, he was thankful to be back aboard the TARDIS, even if that meant having Martha examine his wrist and neck. The Doctor had informed him that both were doing well but also showed little to no signs that they were healing. Jack tried not to let his disappointment in the news show through as he knew he would only heal properly once the Doctor figure out his energy problem. It must have shown on his face, though, because as soon as Martha was done, they had headed to their room.

Settling on the bed, the Doctor kissed Jack softly on the lips as he wrapped his arms around him holding him close. Jack leaned into the Doctor's touch as he relaxed against him. He decided right then and there that he just wanted to stay in the safety of the Doctor's arms until he could see and hear again. For once, Jack didn't try to initiate sex between the two of them. He hoped there would be plenty of time to learn the Doctor's body later and to have the Doctor learn his. He had thoroughly enjoyed the Doctor taking charge earlier and fulfilling one of his fantasies. For now, though, he just took comfort from the Doctor's touch.

"I love you," he whispered as he snuggled against the Doctor. He felt the Doctor drop a kiss on the top of his head. The Doctor ran his hand along his back and Jack felt him drawing circles on it with his fingers. Jack realized after a moment that the Doctor wasn't just drawing circles but was writing in his native language. Jack didn't have to ask him what it said as he was pulled closer to the Doctor's chest. He kissed it softly as the Doctor rested his head against his. Closing his eyes, Jack drifted off to sleep, listening to his lover's heartbeats.


	30. Chapter 30

After Jack fell asleep in his arms, the Doctor gently laid him down on the bed. As much as he wanted to continue to lay with his lover there was work that he needed to do. Tucking Jack in, he kissed him softly on the top of the head while he hesitated about leaving Jack alone in the room. Jack was afraid and he only seemed to feel safe when he was with him. The TARDIS hummed, reassuring the Doctor that she would keep an eye on Jack for him. Feeling slightly better about leaving him, the Doctor exited the room. He headed straight for the medi-bay lab intent on trying to figure out how to restore Jack's vision and hearing. He still had no idea where to begin but he wasn't about to give up on him.

It was about an hour later that the TARDIS alerted him that he was needed. He was surprised when she sent him to the control room rather than his room where Jack was resting. As he entered the control room, though, he could immediately see why he was needed. River was standing there with her hair messier than before holding her arm against her chest. In her other hand, she had her coat wrapped around a burnt piece of machinery and there was no doubt in the Doctor's mind what that machine was.

"River did you kill those men at the cabin?" He asked her getting the question out of the way first. If she did, he had no problem sending her off the TARDIS again in order to keep Jack and Martha safe. River stared at him as if he were stupid, though.

"If I killed those men, do you think I would have waited until after the fire was out to retrieve the machine you needed?" River questioned him in return. He sighed knowing she was right. "The machine was destroyed, but I thought that you might still be able to determine what kind of electricity they used with it."

"I will be," The Doctor told her as he glanced down at the machine. He looked back up at her, reaching out to take her arm. River offered, offer it to him holding out her palm face up so that he could see the burn that covered her hand. The skin on half her palm was deep red stretching along her thumb. Around the edges of the burn, she had several blisters. "I have a nice cooling antibiotic ointment that will take the heat out of the burn and act as a protective layer while it heals. It also encourages new growth of the skin."

"How long will it take to heal?" River asked as he released her arm, motioning for her to follow him to the medi-bay. He took the bundle from her, carrying it with him so that he could examine the machine once he finished treating her hand.

"About two weeks. There is another ointment that would take a shorter amount of time, but with the severity of the burn it could cause the new skin to scar and grow in tight. Being that it on the palm of your hand that could limit the use you have of it. I want to avoid any long-term difficulties if we can," The Doctor explained to her. River nodded her agreement.

She sat down on one of the beds while the Doctor got the ointment. He pulled on a pair of gloves before cleaning the burn. Though he was as gentle as he could be, River still hissed in pain as he tended to her hand. As he applied the ointment it not only cooled her hand but numbed it due to the medications in it. The Doctor then wrapped her hand in a bandage to keep it sterile and to keep the ointment from rubbing off as it worked. He was going to have to apply the ointment several more times, but each time would be easier than the last. He then helped her to waterproof the bandage so that she could go to take a shower and get cleaned up.

Once River was gone, he turned his attention to the machine. As he untied River's coat, he could see just how badly destroyed the machine was. There were pieces that were melted off of it and it had burned River's coat slightly from the heat of the metal. The Doctor didn't dare open it yet to look inside as he was worried about the inside temperature. Pulling out his sonic, he scanned it. The sonic just relayed to him that the machine was made of a magnetic alloy. That made him think that it was plasma, but he couldn't be sure until he got inside of it. That made no sense, though, as plasma couldn't be used to electrocute Jack the way he had been.

Frustrated he stood up, kicking the side of the machine. The front of it fell off and smoke hissed out of the machine filling the room with an acrid smell. The Doctor covered his mouth and nose with his shirt as the TARDIS isolated the machine off from the rest of the room. The Doctor groaned as he knew that meant he wasn't going to be able to access it again until the TARDIS deemed that it was safe. He had no choice but to give up on trying to figure out how to help Jack until it was safe.

Going back to his room, he sat on the edge of the bed and stared at Jack as he slept. With nothing else he could do to help him until the machine cooled, it would be the perfect time to try to teach him braille or work on communicating by spelling on his palm. Rather than doing either of those things he instead moved the blankets back so they were no longer covering Jack. He didn't know what had come over him recently. In this body, he had always craved touch whether it was by a quick hug or holding someone's hand in his. Ever since giving into Jack and having sex with him, he found himself craving that as well. He couldn't get enough of the feeling of his body moving with Jacks and even now he needed to be with him.

Jack didn't stir as he carefully pushed Jack onto his back and opened his trousers. He leaned down taking Jack into his mouth. Jack groaned and tried to thrust his hips up. The Doctor easily stopped him by placing both his hands on his hips to hold him down. He stared up at Jack as he opened his eyes, his hand coming down to rest on the Doctor's head. He ran his hand through his ear as he whimpered the Doctor's name. The Doctor couldn't reply as he continued to tease Jack.

"Doc," Jack whispered as he tensed. He found his release in the Doctor's mouth and the Doctor swallowed around him. Releasing Jack, he tucked him back into his trousers before crawling up the bed to claim Jack's mouth. Jack kissed him back as he tasted himself. He groaned as he felt himself twitch again. "I could get used to waking up like that," He teased. The Doctor didn't answer him as he nuzzled Jack's neck with his head. Jack got the hint and reached down between them. He palmed the Doctor's own erection through his trousers until much to the Doctor's horror he found his own release in his pants. He moved out of Jack's arms, removing his trousers before climbing back up on the bed as he vowed he was going to get Jack back for that.


	31. Chapter 31

The Doctor had climbed onto the bed with the intent of making Jack pay for making him find his release in his pants. As he ran his hands down Jack, though, he had looked up with unseeing eyes trusting the Doctor completely. While he had no intention of hurting him, he could wait to push Jack's limits until Jack was able to see and expect what was happening. So instead of making Jack beg for release, he laid Jack on his back, kneeling between his legs. Jack moaned as he kissed his lover softly. Their lovemaking was slow as he held Jack tightly against his chest. Jack's own hands were wrapped his back, holding him just as close as their bodies moved as one. This wasn't about a release for either of them, so there was no rush to completion as they explored each other's bodies. The Doctor was determined to let the Jack know that he was loved more deeply than he could ever imagine. It had only a few short days since Jack had felt so lonely that he had tried to take his own life. The Doctor knew that kind of loneliness and he vowed silently to make sure that Jack never felt it again.

"Doc," Jack whimpered against The Doctor's lips as his body tensed, his nails were digging almost painfully into the Doctor's back as he fought to find his release. The Doctor stopped kissing him, tucking his head against Jack's neck nipping it softly right above the bandage that covered it still. Jack turned his head towards the Doctor desperate to find his mouth again. The Doctor obliged him, pressing his lips back against Jack's claiming his mouth as he claimed his body. Jack cried out as he finally found his release. The Doctor groaned as he felt the wetness spread between their stomachs. He thrust twice more before finding his own release deep inside his lover's body. Stil he didn't want to separate their bodies. He collapsed down on Jack, holding him close as he lifted his hand to stroke Jack's head.

"I love you, Doc" Jack whispered. The Doctor leaned up kissing him on the head.

"Love you, too," The Doctor responded knowing that Jack couldn't hear him. He sighed in content as he rested against his lover. Jack wiggled adjusting the best he could with the Doctor still deep inside him. Sleeping on his back with the Doctor nestled between his spread legs wasn't the most comfortable position to try to rest in, but he didn't try to push the Doctor off. He could feel the Doctor's cool breath against his neck and at one time he would have found it irritating. Now, though, it reminded him that he wasn't alone in the darkness but had someone willing to take care of him. Despite the uncomfortable position, he soon drifted off to sleep feeling safe in the Doctor's arms.

The Doctor was almost asleep as well when the TARDIS alerted him that the machine was safe to examine. No longer tired, he carefully extracted himself from Jack's body. He wanted to rush straight to the medi-bay, but he had to make sure that Jack was comfortable and then shower before he did. Going to the ensuite bathroom, he grabbed a clean towel wetting it with warm water before returning to Jack. Trying not to wake the sleeping man, he wiped his stomach off, then covered him with the thick duvet. Jack didn't even notice as he continued to snore softly. Satisfied that Jack would be alright, he hurried to the shower.

Once he was clean, he left the room going back to the medi-bay. The machine still sat on the floor where he left it. Kneeling down, he pulled out his sonic scanning the remnants of the machine. He groaned loudly as the sonic returned an unclear reading. The machine had been heavily damaged by both the fire and the smoke. While it was clear the outside was definitely a magnetic metal, what the inside contained was harder to determine and the wattage used was going to be impossible. The Doctor swore under his breath as he resisted the urge to smack the useless machine and damage it more. If he wanted to help Jack, then he just had to calm down and think about this clearly. He took a deep steadying breath, then sat down flat on his bottom.

Taking a clear look into the machine, he could see that it was a jumbled mess of wires. Whoever had built the machine clearly had no idea what they were doing. They had been lucky that they didn't kill themselves as they worked. Still, if they had killed themselves it would have saved him from trying to figure out how to fix Jack's energy problem. Then he would still be alone. He shook his head. He couldn't think that was he had to concentrate. It was just a machine. He had been rebuilding and fixing machines more complicated than this since he was in nappies. He should have no problem rewiring the machine with the spare parts that he kept. Reaching in he pulled out one of the wires. The wire broke apart in his hand revealing a bunch of smaller wires inside of it.

"Simple stupid little apes. Can't even build the machine right. It just came apart in my hand," the Doctor muttered as he decided to blame the man who built the machine for its wiring falling apart, rather than the fire. He stood up with the wire still in his hand. If he was going to fix the machine he was going to need a few things. He needed the small tool kit from the console, spare wires and a strong cup of tea. Setting down the wire on top of the machine, he went to the corridor. Rather than heading for any of those things, though, he went to River's room to check on her.

"River. Can I come in," he called through the door. There was no answer so he opened it letting himself inside. River was tucked into bed sleeping peacefully. Not wanting to wake River, he connected with the TARDIS telepathically to check on her. The TARDIS reassured him that she was healing well and just needed to rest. Looking her over to make sure she wasn't laying on her injured hand, he saw that her bandaged hand was resting palm up on the pillow by her head. As he looked at her hand, he saw there was a bottle of medication along with a glass of water on the bedside table. Curious, he tiptoed over to it, lifting the bottle. It was just a basic painkiller from the fifty-first century that the TARDIS had supplied her. Disappointed that it offered him no clues to who she was, he glanced around the room. If the TARDIS knew who this woman was, she didn't reveal it. Even though the room had been designed for River it held none of the personal mementos that his other companions had.

Leaving the room, he went to retrieve the items that he need before settling down once more in front of the machine. It was going to be slow work to repair it as he had to make sure that he correctly placed each wire again in the same position as before. If he messed up even one wire he could end up with different results and possibly end up hurting Jack worse by treating him wrong. He couldn't let that happen. Jack trusted him to keep him safe and repair his eyes and ears. And that is exactly what the Doctor planned on doing. He just had to start trusting himself that he actually could or Jack would be lost in the darkness forever.


	32. Chapter 32

The Doctor worked on the machine diligently until the TARDIS alerted him that Jack was beginning to wake. He sighed realizing that he had been up all night again. While he didn't need as much sleep as his human companions, he did still need a few hours a night in order to function properly. He was used to being sleep deprived, though, as the nightmares that plagued him made him not want to sleep. Still, he should have laid down for at least a few hours. Jack's arms would have helped to keep the nightmares at bay and if not stop them he would at least wake to the comfort of someone holding him rather than alone and afraid in his bed. He wondered if he could convince Jack to stay in bed for a few more hours while he rested. He pushed the thought aside immediately as he knew that would just lead to them having sex again. While it was a nice thought he had other things to do then to lay on his back with Jack moving inside of him.

Though, the work on the machine was tedious he actually found himself enjoying it. There was something he found relaxing in changing out the wires in a system whether it be on his beloved TARDIS or the horrible box that had been used to torture Jack. With the TARDIS he always had the satisfaction of knowing that she would run more efficently and feel better once he finished. The same was true with the box, once the wiring was done he would be able to help Jack to heal properly and hopefully restore his vision and hearing.

He want to just continue to work on the box until the wiring was done but he forced himself to stop. With the morning arriving he had to go make sure that Jack was taken care of. There would be showers and breakfast, followed by an exam in the medi-bay. He would need to tend to River's hand then work with Jack on learning sign-language or Braille. He felt the urge to grab the box and run as he planned his day. It made him uneasy as it was all a bit too domestic for him. He didn't run, though, as he tried never to run when somebody needed him.

He groaned, standing up to stretch his sore body. He picked up the box, along with the wires to move it to a safe location. Setting it down in his lab, he had the TARDIS isolate it with a force field to keep the others on board the TARDIS from touching it. The last thing he needed was to lose his work as someone accidentally bumped up against the box and knocked the wires loose. Heading to his room, he saw that Jack was still sleeping peacefully. He furrowed in brow in confusion positive that the TARDIS had alerted him Jack waking. Reaching out his mind to her, she hummed softly at him.

"I need to finish working on the box if he is still sleeping," He informed her as he figured out she was just trying to lure him to bed. It didn't matter that he had been just thinking that he should try to sleep, he didn't like the fact that she had tricked him into going to bed. The TARDIS hummed at him and he sighed. He was careful as he climbed under the blankets not to disturb Jack. He cuddled up next to him, wrapping his arms tightly around the sleeping immortal. Jack snuggled up to him, not waking as he took comfort in the cool arms of his lover. The Doctor closed his eyes, soon joining Jack in his sleep.

He awoke several hours later to the feeling of a warm heat wrapped around his member as Jack softly nipped his neck. He groaned as he opened his eyes to see Jack's hand loosely holding him. He turned his head to catch Jack's mouth pressing their lips together as he ran his own hand down to Jack's groin. They brought each other to orgasm as they kissed softly, just tasting each other's mouth.

"Morning," The Doctor whispered against his lipss as he ran his hand to Jack's temple.

"Morning," Jack responded kissing him softly.

"I was thinking today I could start teaching you how to read braille," The Doctor informed Jack. Jack pulled back from him with a sigh. He couldn't go far or he risked breaking the telepathic connection they had.

"Way to ruin the moment there Doc," He mumbled. The Doctor leaned over kissing him softly on the forehead.

"I know you don't want to hear it Jack, but we have to think about what is going to be best for you long term. Learning braille will allow you to read when you are bored as well as move around easier in the outside world rather than being stuck relying on me all the time. Don't get me wrong, I will be happy to help you as much as you need but by learing braille you can get around the TARDIS on your own as she will be able to label parts of it for you," The Doctor explained to Jack. Jack made a face at him.

"How long do you think I am going to be like this?" He wondered.

"It is hard to say. River was able to bring me the machine used to electrocute you last night. The problem is that it was heavily damaged in a fire that also destroyed the cabin that you were held in. I am going to be able to fix the machine, but it is going to take me a little while as I have to replace all the wires inside of it. Once I get it up and running it will be easy for me to find out what type of electricity was used and measure its output. From there, though, I have to find a way to use that information to reverse the damage that was done to the Autron energy inside your body without causing you further damage," The Doctor advised him.

"But you can fix me right?" Jack pleaded with him.

"Yes," The Doctor assured him. He kissed Jack softly again as Jack leaned into him. "Now let's get up, shower and have a coffee. After I have a few books that we can use to begin teaching you how to read braille."

"Can't we just stay here in bed?" Jack wondered. Jack knew the Doctor was right and he needed to learn braille. In a way, though, it felt like he was giving up by learning it. Braille would force him to accept the fact that he was deaf as well as blind the same way as learning sign language had. He was slightly surprised when the Doctor chuckled holding him a little tighter with one arm as the other remained resting against his temple.

"We could. If you want we can lay here until you're ready to face the outside world again. Laying here isn't going to help you be ready, though. I know it is hard Jack, but I will be right here beside you the entire time," the Doctor reassured his ailing lover.

"Promise," Jack questioned him. He sighed he couldn't hide in the Doctor's arms forever no matter how much he wanted to. One day he was going to have to face the universe again and the Doctor was just trying to prepare him for that day.

"I promise," The Doctor responded. Jack leaned up pressing their lips together once more.

"I love you, Doc," Jack whispered. The Doctor kissed him back. He knew that Jack needed to hear the words as well. It was just three simple little words that would reassure Jack that he wasn't going anywhere. That these times they spent in bed together wouldn't end once Jack was healed. Yet those three words were the hardest three words to get his tongue to say to another living being.

"I love you Jack," He finally managed to reply, the words so soft and mumbled that he barely understood them even if he was the one who spoke them. The universe didn't end around them as the words finally entered into it. Jack smiled against his lips as they kissed deeply. He released Jack's temple as he reluctantly broke the kiss. Jack held out his hand to the Doctor allowing him to pull him out of bed without argument so that they could head to the shower.

For the first time since being carried to the TARDIS alone and scared, Jack actually felt hope that everything would be alright. That once the Doctor healed him that he wouldn't be alone again in the unforgiving universe. The Doctor finally trusted him with his hearts, and Jack was going to hold onto them tightly for as long as he could.


	33. Chapter 33

The Doctor worked diligently on the box for the next few days only taking time out to eat, or make love to Jack. He also made sure to take an hour each day to guide Jack through learning braille in order to help him become more independent. It was Martha, though, who stepped up in order to help Jack learn to make his own coffee or to pick out clothes to wear. She had studied hard since being brought aboard the TARDIS so that she would be able to help Jack beyond medical care. The studying was paying off as Jack was finding his way around the TARDIS easier and had even made the Doctor a cup of tea one morning. Granted the Doctor hadn't drank it as the tea bag had seeped too long and the sugar Jack tried to add had ended up on the counter, but the Doctor was proud of the fact that Jack had tried. It was a step in the right direction, if only he could fix the machine.

The machine had been successfully rewired but when the Doctor had tried to switch it on he found that it still wasn't working. He wasn't deterred as examined the machine to find out why it didn't work. Looking at the burned casing, he figured it had been plugged into a second power outlet. He was going to have to rewire the plug and then find a safe way in order to plug it in on the TARDIS. The outlet was thankfully standard so he replaced it with one that he currently had. Taking a deep breath, he plugged it into the wall and waited.

"No, no, no, no, no," The Doctor cried out as the sound of popping filled the air followed by smoke. A field came down around the machine the Doctor had been working on, stopping the fire from spreading to the rest of the medi-bay. All the Doctor could do, though, was stare in disbelief at the loss of all his hard work. Work that Jack had depended on him to finish in order to fix his autron energy problem and restore his hearing and sight.

"What happened Doctor?" Martha asked from across the medi-bay where she was tending to Jack's wrist. The Doctor didn't answer her as he turned to leave. He went quickly down the long corridor, taking the first left that he came to, he kept walking going down one set of stairs followed by another. The TARDIS could have moved the room he wanted closer to him, but she knew that her thief needed a chance to run and get away. The Doctor kept walking until he came to a simple door set in the back of a lone corridor. Pushing the door open he entered his lab. The TARDIS had moved the box into the middle of it, allowing him to continue his work without the prying eyes of Martha or the guilt he was feeling as Jack sat nearby unable to see the progress he was making. The box was useless, though, the fire had destroyed the remaining wires inside of it. He screamed in frustration as he kicked it, causing the back of the casing to fall off.

"Damn it," the Doctor swore. Jack had been depending on him to make things right and he failed him.

"Sweetie?" River questioned as she pushed the door open. The Doctor sighed loudly he didn't want her company. He wanted to be alone with his failure.

"I will be up in a little while, River," The Doctor told her angrily as he bent down to pick up the piece that had fallen off the device. Thankfully, it was only bent and not damaged any further so he would be able to replace it. He turned to look at River as she didn't move from the doorway. She was wearing a simple pants and jacket outfit with her curly hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. Even though her hand was still bandaged they had tended to it quickly enough that she was going to get away with minimal scarring.

"Martha told me that the machine was smoking," River stated as she ignored him coming further into the lab.

"I can't get it work. I don't know if it was the fire or the way that the machine was wired, but it shorted out as soon as I plugged it in. I am going to have to start from scratch again which is going to leave Jack deaf and blind for even longer," The Doctor admitted to her as he flopped down into his chair picking up his sonic. He reached for a small bundle of wires that was sitting on the desk, but River took his hand in hers in order to stop him. He looked at her in confusion.

"You have been working day and night on the machine. You need to take a break," River told the Doctor softly as she set down beside him.

"I can't," The Doctor whispered.

"I know you think you are above such things as resting, but you can't keep going like this. You are wearing yourself out and if you make a mistake you could end up ruining the machine for good. You want to know what I think you should do?" River questioned him and he shook his head. "Go to Jack. Have dinner, make love and sleep. In the morning, you can start again on the machine. In the meantime, I am going to head out again to see if I can find the group that is responsible for Jack's capture. I may be able to find a second machine or at the very least find the man who built the machine in the first place."

"I can't ask you to put yourself into danger again," the Doctor told her. River smiled as she leaned over kissing him softly on the cheek.

"You didn't ask me, sweetie, I offered," she whispered in his ear. Standing up she held out her hand to the Doctor to help him up. The Doctor stared at it a moment before sighing loudly. He set the broken part of the machine down on the desk, then allowed River to help him to rise to his feet. She didn't let go of his hand as she took him up to the medi-bay where Jack was still sitting with Martha. His wrist was having just as much trouble healing as his eyes and ears, so Martha was running scans hoping that she could help him. If he was in a hospital, they would be looking at performing surgery in order to help set his wrist. The problem was that since he wasn't healing right he could end up with surgical wounds down to the bone that would be prone to infection. His body wouldn't be able to handle an infection at the moment and Martha didn't want to think of the consequences that it would cause.

"Are you about done with Jack?" River asked on the Doctor's behalf as they entered the room together.

"I am just finishing up running a CT scan on his wrist, then I need to bandage it again. After that I need to review the scans so it is all right if you want to take him out of the medi-bay for a few hours," Martha answered. As soon as the scan was finished, the Doctor went over to Jack, kissing him gently on his lips. Jack smiled reaching up with his free hand, rubbing it along the Doctor's sideburn.

"I missed you," Jack informed him as he kissed him again.

"I've missed you too," the Doctor whispered as he spelled the words into Jack's hand. He watched on as Martha bandaged Jack's wrist once more. After she was done, he took his good hand leading Jack to their bedroom. Dinner could wait awhile. He led Jack to their bed laying him down on it. The Doctor kissed Jack softly on his lips as he ran his hands down Jack's sides. Jack moaned lifting his hips trying to get the Doctor to touch him where he desperately needed him too. The Doctor obliged him, moving his hand to Jack's groin taking Jack's member in his hand.

"Doctor," Jack whimpered as the Doctor pulled Jack's trousers down to just below his bottom. He then stood up on the bed, taking his own trousers off. He straddled Jack's lap, taking Jack deep into his body as he did so. Jack groaned moving his hands to the Doctor's waist to help him move as the Doctor rode him slowly. Leaning down, he kissed Jack deeply as their bodies continued to move as one. He wouldn't ever admit it to her, but River had been right and he needed this more than he needed to fix the machine at the moment. He would follow her advice and eat afterwards, but he wasn't going to sleep, not yet. Not while Jack was still depending on him to make things right.


	34. Chapter 34

Jack woke up with the pleasant weight of the Time Lord's body still partially draped over him. They had made love last night before the Doctor laid across him, their bodies still joined. He had run his hand up and down the Time Lord's back soothingly until he felt the Doctor's cool breath even out against his skin, their bodies still joined as one. Even now he could feel the Doctor's cool skin pressed against where his trousers were lowered. He kissed the Doctor softly on the head causing the Doctor to stir in his sleep, pressing his body closer. Jack smiled, opening his eyes out of habit. Much to his surprise, little flashes of light filled his vision for the first time since he had been hooked to that machine. He quickly closed his eyes again, then opened them as he lifted his hand to his face. He couldn't see his hand, but the light was still there.

As happy as he was that his sight seemed to be returning, he also he felt an overwhelming sadness. He was enjoying the time that he finally had with the Time Lord and didn't want it to end. Once he no longer had to be taken care of, he had no doubt that the Doctor would leave him behind again. That the days he spent in the Doctor's arms aboard the TARDIS would just be a distant memory, even if the Doctor had said the three little words that he had always longed to hear from him. He reached up, wiping a stray tear off of his cheek before wrapping his arms tighter around the sleeping man. Regardless of whether or not the Doctor wanted to admit it, he needed someone by his side. Jack could be that man for longer than anyone else and protect his lover in a way that no one else could. He wasn't going to give him up without a fight.

Running his hand down the Doctor's back, his fingers found him still slick from their love-making the night before. Jack rolled the two of them onto their sides as he pushed himself into the Doctor's body. He felt the Doctor tense against him, a hand reaching back to grab his arm tightly while he thrust slowly into the Doctor's body. He wished he could hear the noises the Doctor was making as he felt the Doctor relax into the movements. Trailing his hand along the Doctor's side, he found the Doctor was stroking his own member in time with Jack. Jack smiled running his hand back up the Doctor's chest to his nipple. He ran the nub in his fingers making it hard before pinching it firmly in his fingers. The Doctor arched against him, his body tensing again.

"More," Jack questioned. The Doctor took his hand, placing it against his cheek as he nodded. The Doctor's body started to move away from his and Jack followed him. They moved so that the Doctor was on his hands and knees on the bed with Jack behind him. Jack grabbed his hips, holding them tightly. His movements rougher, chasing his own release but making sure to hit the Doctor's prostate with every thrust. The Doctor fell over the edge first, his body tightening around Jack causing him to find his own release deep inside his lover. Together they collapsed forward, Jack's weight on the Doctor's back. He rolled off, taking the Time Lord into his arms, kissing him passionately. He felt the Doctor's hand brush his temple and he opened his mind as he broke the kiss.

"Morning," the Doctor told him sleepily despite their love-making.

"Morning. Did you like your wake up call?" Jack wondered. The Doctor didn't answer him as he felt embarrassment fill the link. It was enough of an answer for Jack, though. "I could wake you up like that again."

"I'd like that," The Doctor mumbled before clearing his throat rather loudly. "Right breakfast then I need to get back to work on the electrical device."

"About that Doctor, I think my sight is starting to come back. This morning I could see little flashes of light," Jack explained to him. The link broke abruptly as the Doctor pulled away from him. He felt the bed shift as the Doctor got off of it. Jack didn't have time to wonder what the Doctor was up to as the bed shifted again.

"Sorry," The Doctor apologized re-establishing their link. "I needed sonic." He looked at the results seeing that Jack's eyes were in fact starting to repair themselves, but the Doctor wasn't sure how. He scanned Jack's ears, wrist and neck finding that Jack's autron energy was once again establishing itself inside his cells. The healing was slower than normal, but Jack would eventually regain his sight and hearing. At the current rate of healing it would take weeks, so it was still within his best interest for the Doctor to figure out the machine. "You're healing."

"I am?" Jack asked him, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice."

"Yep," The Doctor popped the p at the end of the word happily. "To explain it simply, you're Autron energy is forcing itself back into your cells. Even without the machine being repaired you will heal, but I don't know if you will heal properly when you die and come back. I still want to fix the machine, so that we can fix your energy problems properly."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Jack wondered.

"Not at the moment. Once the machine is fixed, I am going to need a sample of your energy to test the machine on, but that can wait," The Doctor told him. He started to pull away again, but Jack put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"Before you go back to the machine, you need to shower and eat something," Jack informed him. The Doctor opened his mouth to argue him, but Jack interrupted him before he could. "Doctor I know you want to take care of me. I love you for that, except you need to let me take care of you now. Shower with me, help me make coffee and breakfast, then after you have eaten you can go back to the machine."

"Alright," the Doctor agreed with a soft kiss to Jack's broke the connection taking Jack's hand to help him to his feet. He could let Jack take care of him for a little while now. Then once Jack was healed, he hoped that Jack wouldn't mind taking care of him for a little longer.


	35. Chapter 35

Three days later the happiness of having his sight return had faded. He was miserable as the little lights danced across his eyelids regardless of whether they were open or closed now. He was exhausted, but he couldn't sleep with the strange burst constantly filling his vision as the synapses repaired themselves. He had lost the will to do anything but lay curled up on his side wishing that he could even into the exhaustion. He groaned feeling the bed shift before a cool body pressed itself against him. He loved the Time Lord with all his heart but for the first time in as far back as he could remember he couldn't bare the thought of trying to have sex. He must have looked as horrible as he felt, though, since the Doctor didn't try to initiate anything. He just pulled Jack against his chest gently stroking the hair behind his ear as he held him. Jack felt himself relaxing into the soothing touch when the Doctor's fingers came to rest upon his temple.

"I just want to sleep, Doc," Jack whimpered, not being able to keep his misery out of his tone.

"Rest then," The Doctor whispered.

"I can't. These bloody lights won't go away. I can always see them Doc and nothing I do stops them," Jack complained. Reaching up, he pressed his fingers to his eyes. He kept pressing harder hoping that if he pressed harder enough it would change what he was seeing.

"Stop that," The Doctor tutted softly. Grabbing Jack's wrist he carefully, but firmly, tugged his hand away from his eyes.

"I can't stand it, Doc," Jack complained. Being completely blind was better than the lights. Though the darkness hid dangers from him, making it so that he couldn't tell friend from foe, the light played tricks. It gave him hope that he would be able to see again, then took that hope away just as quickly. He just wanted the light to fade so that he could sleep.

"Hurting yourself isn't the answer," The Doctor reminded him with a gentle kiss to the side of his neck right above the stitches that still marked where he had tried to kill himself.

"I don't know what else to do Doc," Jack whined. He turned so that his back was no longer to the Time Lord. He pressed his head into his chest, wrapping his arms around his middle to hold him tight. With his face buried he could smell that the Doctor had spilled tea on himself recently. The smell, though, was familiar and comforting. Jack breathed him in, feeling the Doctor adjust his grip to continue to hold him while moving his fingers back to his temples.

"Tell me how I can help you," The Doctor questioned softly. He was desperate to help his ailing lover but felt stuck. River had yet to return from trying to find the men again and the Doctor hoped that she wasn't hurt. The machine was also still giving him trouble. He couldn't figure out how it worked as the wiring made no sense. Every time he rewired the machine, it overheated before he could get a reading. It made him think that the box wasn't the true source of the electricity that had been used, but there was no way to connect a power source to the box. The only way he was going to figure it out was to find the men had built the box.

"I'm so tired," Jack whispered.

"Would you like something to help you sleep?" The Doctor offered. Jack nodded against him. The Doctor tried to carefully get out of bed, but Jack prevented him from moving. "I can't get you medication if you don't let me go." Jack thought about it. He wanted to sleep more than anything.

"Fine," He sighed reluctantly letting the Doctor go.

"I'll be right back," The Doctor promised. Sliding out of bed he hurried to the medi-bay. For a brief moment, he considered getting Jack a sleeping pill but decided on an injection instead. The injection would help him to drop off to sleep quicker. He picked up one then returned it to the shelf. The medication was strong enough that he would need to monitor Jack to make sure that it didn't suppress his breathing, he didn't want to put Jack at risk. He picked up another vial taking it with him to his room. He was unhappy to find Jack pressing on his eyes again. He couldn't stop him, though, without keeping a full-time eye on him. He sat down on the bed in front of him.

"Lay with me," Jack complained. The Doctor brushed his fingers against his temples.

"I will in just a moment. I am going to give you an injection first that will help you sleep," The Doctor informed him. He moved his fingers gently rolling up Jack's sleeve. He cleaned his arm with an antiseptic wipe. Filling the syringe, he pushed it into Jack's arm.

"Ow," Jack whined overly sensitive. He tried to move his arm away from the pain. The Doctor took his arm in his hand holding it tightly. He made gentle shushing noises as he injected the medication into Jack's arm. He then covered the site with a small plaster before fixing Jack's sleeve. He capped the empty syringe laying it on the bedside table. Turning he stretched out next to Jack, cuddling him close. He wrapped his arm around Jack pushing their bodies close together. Throwing one of his legs over Jack's he pinned him to the bed.

"I've got you. Just sleep now," The Doctor cooed. Despite the lights flashing, the sedative the Doctor gave him quickly sent Jack into a deep sleep. The Doctor held him as his breathing evened out and then a soft snore escaped. Sure that Jack was asleep, The Doctor carefully got out of bed tucking the blankets around him. He hurried to the control room setting the coordinates to random.

"We need to find River," He informed the TARDIS. She hummed at him in agreement. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the handbrake and sent them on their way. He just hoped that River was waiting wherever they landed.


	36. Chapter 36

Opening the door to the TARDIS, the Doctor stepped out into a small outdoor cafe. Various species sat at the round tables that decorated the simple concrete floor. None of them seemed to notice the appearance of the strange blue box as they continued enjoying their meals under the cool white sun in the sky. The day was overcast, though, with thin dark clouds against a light gray sky. A gentle breeze was gently blowing, but none of the patrons seemed to mind. The Doctor looked around the cafe wondering why the TARDIS had brought him there. He didn't have to wonder long as he spotted River sitting at one of the tables drinking from a straw out of a rather large cup. She was wearing a patterned red dress with a pair of black trousers with her hair up in a ponytail on top of her head to keep the wind from blowing it into her face. He glanced at her hand seeing that it was still wrapped in bandages indicating he was within the correct time line for her. Weaving his way around the tables, the Doctor took a seat across from her. She somehow knew he was coming because as he sat down a waiter appeared with another of the large glasses. The Doctor took it from him taking a small sip of the liquid. The taste of banana filled his mouth overwhelming his taste buds and almost concealed the burn of the alcohol as he swallowed. He moaned in happiness as he took another drink.

"Where are we?" He asked at last as he played with the straw.

"We are still on Verlor. I have been following leads to try to find the leader of the group Kampf," River answered him. She gestured with her head for him to look towards the cafe. Sitting at a small table not far away from them were two men dressed in black dress suits. The man on the left was heavy set and eating a rather large meal while the other man sipped a cup of coffee. "The man on the left is Simon, he is second in command of the group. The man with him I have only heard referred to as Butler. He is Simon's bodyguard. So far I haven't been able to figure out who or where the leader is and I have been following Simon for days."

"I could just ask him," The Doctor told her reaching into his pocket to pull out his psychic paper.

"You will do no such thing. You are too emotionally involved in this," River hissed at him softly.

"I am not being emotional," He argued thinking that their conversation sounded very familiar.

"Do you want to go ask Alex what he thinks?" River questioned. The Doctor sighed. Leaning back in his chair he took another long sip of the banana alcohol.

"I have to do something to help Jack. His vision is starting to come back and he is miserable because it is keeping him awake," The Doctor explained to her as he watched the two men.

"What about the box?" River wondered. The Doctor shook his head no.

"Every time I repair it, it overheats as soon as it is turned on. There has to be something I am missing but my mind is too thick to figure it out," The Doctor complained.

"We could go back to the cabin and look at the box again," River suggested.

"I can't keep going back to the cabin with the TARDIS. I might end up crossing my own timeline," The Doctor argued her.

"Who said anything about using the TARDIS?" River wondered. Lifting her wrist with the Vortex Manipulator on it, she pressed buttons inputting the coordinates for the cabin.

"River, we can't" The Doctor started. What the end of that sentence was going to be, River would never know as she took his hand and placed it on her wrist. The manipulator flashed a white light as it sent them on their way to the cabin. They landed just inside of the wooden structure a moment later. Even in daylight, the cabin was bathed in shadows due to the many trees that surrounded it. The woods outside the cabin held the chatter of birds and other animals, but all that was drowned out by the screaming that was coming from the basement. The Doctor couldn't stop himself from running to the stairs and then hurrying down them. Both his hearts broke as he saw his lover hooked to the horrible device. He reached into his pocket to pull his sonic out, his hand shaking slightly. He wanted more than anything to use the sonic to free Jack, but he couldn't disrupt Jack's timeline either. Changing the setting on the sonic, he moved closer as the screaming abruptly stopped. Jack went limp between the device and the electricity shut off. The Doctor resisted the urge to free him as Jack took in the first breath of life. The electricity immediately kicked back on and soon Jack was twisting against the restraints.

"Of course," The Doctor whispered to himself. Pointing his sonic at Jack, he ran it along his body gathering information. He saw that the electricity had already taken its toll on Jack's body rendering him deaf and blind. Except, now he knew how to fix it.

"Of course what?" River questioned.

"The box is only one part of the device being used to electrocute the victim. That is why it overheats ever time that I turn it on. The body is used to complete the circuit. They didn't know that Jack's body has Autron energy fueling it and ended up using that energy against him," The Doctor told her. He turned to look at her holding out his hand. "Take me back to Jack."

"You know how to help him?" River questioned.

"Oh yes." The Doctor grinned at her broadly. He willing took River's wrist as she reversed the coordinates to send them back to the cafe mere seconds after they had left. Upon arriving the Doctor jumped up, rushing to the TARDIS. He threw the doors open running inside and past her console to the medi-bay. Going to the wall, he opened one of the panels on the wall accessing her circuits inside. He connected several wires to the circuits bringing them over to one of the beds. Going to the medicine cabinet, he filled two syringes. One was with the mild sedative he had used on Jack earlier in the day but he filled a second syringe with the sedative that would suppress Jack's breathing. He made sure that he had everything set up before going to his room to get Jack. As gently as he could, he scooped his sleeping lover up in his arms and carried him to the medi-bay. He laid him down on the bed that he had prepared. In order to help Jack he was going to have to hurt him, only he couldn't stand to listen to him scream in pain again.

"What are you doing Doctor?" Martha wondered as she came into the medi-bay to find the Doctor attaching the wires to Jack's arms, and legs.

"I need to electrocute him using the energy of the TARDIS in order to restore the balance of the Autron energy in his body," The Doctor told her.

"Are you sure it will work?" Martha questioned going over to the bed.

"No, but it is the only chance he has," The Doctor answered her. Martha watched on as he finished connecting the wires. He then picked up the syringe with the mild sedative and injected it into Jack's arm. Martha checked his vitals for the Doctor before stepping back from the bed. The Doctor sent a telepathic message to the TARDIS and a moment later Jack began to jerk and writhe on the bed. It was horrible to watch, but a quick scan with the sonic revealed it was working. With Martha's help, he monitored Jack, pushing it as long as he could. Jack's body was already showing signs of healing as they disconnected the wires from his body. Picking up the second syringe, the Doctor placed it into the crook of Jack's arm emptying the entire syringe. Jack's breathing grew hoarse and finally he breathed out one last time. When he didn't take another breath back in, Martha pulled out her stethoscope placing it to his chest.

"He's gone," Martha told the Doctor softly.

"Now we wait," The Doctor replied. Climbing up in the bed he wrapped his arms around his lover, holding him close to his chest as he waited for him to return.


	37. Chapter 37

The Doctor laid with Jack for over an hour as he waited impatiently for his lover to return to him. The only hope that he had that Jack was going to return to him was the fact that the cut on his neck had healed to a red scar that served as a temporary reminder of how far that he had fallen. Martha carefully removed the stitches from his neck then scanned his wrist to find that the sprain was nearly healed. She helped the Doctor to give him a sponge bath and dress him a clean pair of pajamas before taking a seat on the next bed over. The Doctor didn't feel like talking and there was little more they could do than wait while Jack's body healed enough for him to revive. With Jack clean, the Doctor cuddled Jack close from behind, running his hand gently along Jack's chest. There was no sign that Jack was about to wake before a deep gasp indicated that Jack had returned to life.

Jack didn't remember dying. The last thing he remembered was laying in the Doctor's arms as he drifted off to sleep. He had awoken with the familiar gasp and the relief that always followed his revivals as air filled his lungs once more. He opened his eyes then closed them quickly again. Opening them slowly once more, he looked around the familiar medi-bay of the TARDIS. He looked down at the gentle hands that were caressing his chest to see the Doctor's long fingers absentmindedly stroking him. Daring to turn his head, he saw that the Doctor was watching him carefully waiting to see his response.

"How?" Jack questioned.

"I figured out what was causing your autron energy to be surprised in your body," The Doctor explained. Jack nearly cried in relief as he realized that he heard the Doctor without being telepathically connected. The Doctor's voice was softer than normal, but he could hear again. He squirmed in the Doctor's arms turning over so that he could face him. He ran his fingers down the side of the Doctor's face before pressing their mouths together. The Doctor returned the kiss softly not letting Jack deepen it as Jack tried to kiss him more forcefully. Looking past the Doctor, Jack saw why. Martha was sitting on the bed trying not to watch them, but Jack could tell she was eager to examine him. Sighing he broke the kiss with the Doctor. The Doctor looked at him apologetically, then kissed him one last time before easing himself out of the bed.

Jack soon lost track of how many test were run on him and how long he was in the medi-bay as the Doctor and Martha proceeded to poke and prod him. He was happy to find out that his body was healing. While it was still slower than normal, he wasn't at risk of being injured for the rest of eternity anymore either. His wrist would heal within the next few days on its own and so would his ears. Much to everyone's surprise, though, his eyes had already completely healed themselves. Jack was thankful as he didn't think he could take another night of the strange lights flashing against his eyelids. As eager as he was to hear how he was healing, he was happier when they finally allowed him to leave the medi-bay with the Doctor. The two of them had a light meal inside of the kitchen before going to the Doctor's room. With his eyesight now returned, he was terrified the Doctor was going to return him to Torchwood and leave. He shouldn't have worried, though, because as soon as they were alone together the Doctor wrapped his arms around Jack pulling him close.

"I thought I lost you," The Doctor informed him before pressing their mouths together, kissing Jack roughly. Jack returned the kiss just as deeply pushing his tongue into the Doctor's mouth running it along his teeth. The Doctor moaned pulling at the buttons on Jack's shirt wanting to feel his hot skin against his own cool body. Jack didn't break the kiss as he shrugged out of his shirt letting it drop to the ground. The Doctor's shirt soon followed and then crawled up on the bed together with their mouth's still joined.

"Doctor," Jack gasped against his lips as a cool hand found its way into his trousers wrapping around his member. Jack thrust his hips against the Doctor's hand, reaching back to the drawer beside the bed. He dug in it desperate to find the small bottle of lube that he kept there. Not finding it he tried to remember the last time he had it. Moving the pillow on his side of the bed, he found it hidden beneath the pillow. He quickly opened it applying it to his fingers. Slipping his hand into the Doctor's trousers, he pressed his fingers up into the Doctor's body. The Doctor moaned pushing back against Jack's hand. Removing his fingers, they didn't break apart even as they kicked off their trousers. Jack lifted the Doctor's bottom up onto a pillow aligning himself before pushing slowly into the willing body.

"Oh Rassilon Jack," The Doctor whimpered. He held Jack as tightly as he could against him as their bodies moved as one. He lifted his legs wrapping them around Jack's back, holding Jack to him. Overwhelmed by sensations, Jack found his release first deep inside the Doctor's body. Not a selfish lover, he held himself in the Doctor's body as he moved his hand between them. Gripping the Doctor in his hand, he helped the Doctor fall over the edge after him. Even after finding their releases, they were reluctant to separate. Jack laid his head on the Doctor's shoulder, just holding him tight as the Doctor ran his hand along Jack's spine.

"I love you," Jack whispered.

"I love you too, Jack," The Doctor responded. He turned his head kissing Jack softly on the side of his neck. Jack leaned back enough that he could look the Doctor in the eyes.

"I don't want this to end," Jack informed him.

"It doesn't have to," The Doctor responded, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion at Jack's statement.

"I eventually will need to return to Torchwood, I can't just abandon my team. We have been through too much together to leave them now, but I don't want to leave you either Doctor. I love you, and this short time that we have had together isn't enough. I don't want it to end now that I have my senses back," Jack told him.

"It doesn't have to. I have a time machine, Jack. We can explore the entire universe together and you can still return to Torchwood whenever you want to. I might even be able to help you sort the artifacts that come through the rift," The Doctor told him.

"Yeah?" Jack questioned a smile crossing his face.

"Well, someone has to make sure you humans don't destroy the planet," The Doctor told him smugly. His smug grin vanished quickly, though, as Jack thrust his hips making sure to brush against the Doctor's prostate. The Doctor groaned at the sensation. Happy that he had found a way to silence the Doctor, Jack slowly took full advantage of having the Doctor in his arms. He planned on learning the Doctor's entire body and now was the perfect time to start.


	38. Chapter 38

The next morning, the Doctor carefully extracted himself from Jack's arms. His body was sore from spending the night making love, but he didn't mind the soreness. Jack had spent most of the night mapping out his body and learning what he liked. He had never had a lover who had been so attentive to his needs. That Jack could still be so giving despite the number of times he had been hurt just made the Doctor love him even more. Tucking the blankets around him, he kissed Jack softly on the head. He would have liked to spend the day in bed but there would be time for that later. Right now he had things to take care of. He showered, dressing in his brown suit before heading out to the flight deck. He found Martha there sitting the captain's chair drinking a cup of coffee. He sat down next to her propping his feet up on the console. She offered him a drink but he put his hand up declining it.

"I think it is about time that I returned to UNIT," Martha commented before taking another sip of her drink.

"You don't have to go. I really don't mind if you want to travel with me again," The Doctor told her. Martha smiled.

"I would love to travel with you again, except I can't leave UNIT right now. Besides, you have Jack to travel with and River to find," Martha answered him.

"Did River ever return to the TARDIS last night?" The Doctor inquired realizing that he hadn't seen River since returning to the TARDIS with the knowledge of how to help Jack. Martha nodded.

"She returned for a moment, but she left quickly again to follow the men of Kampf. She told me to tell you not to try to follow her again, but that the two of you would meet up again when it is time. Do you know what she means by that?" Martha questioned.

"No," The Doctor simply told her. River's past was his future and he knew they would meet again one day. Even knowing that she would end up in the library, he couldn't help the fact that he would fall in love with her as she was an amazing person who fascinated him. As a Time Lord, he would have been shunned for even thinking that he could be married and share a bed with two people at once. Except with Jack as his lover, he knew it was still possible that he would end up married to River as well one day. Both of them had so much love to give and for the first time in a long time, he found himself wanting to say those three little words.

Going to the controls, he set the coordinates to UNIT dropping Martha off mere minutes after she had left. Time would continue on and UNIT would never know that she had left and helped him save Jack. He bid her farewell promising her that he would return even just for a short visit to let her know that he was alright. Closing the doors to the TARDIS, he sauntered his way back up the ramp setting the controls to random.

As the TARDIS dematerialized in her office, the Doctor's final words to her rang in his mind.

"I'll be fine," he promised Martha with a smile plastered on his face. And quite possibly for the first time, she actually believed him.


End file.
